Spirits and the Chamber of Secrets
by In Pursuit of Magic
Summary: Jack and Eve have been together for two years now and are now engaged. However, North has called a meeting, what happens when Jack and Eve have to go too Hogwarts to not only keep Harry Potter safe, but keep their cover? I Don't own Harry Potter, The Guardians, or and charmed spells used. rated T because I'm worried.
1. Chapter One The Call

**Third Person Pov**

North was flicking through the pages of his long list of names. He sighed loudly. It had been two years since Pitch had threatened them and was imprisoned by his own fears. Now the world was at peace and North could focus on his work, but he just had a strange feeling. A feeling that something terrible has happened. A knock at the door pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Come in." he said putting the list on the table.

The door opened and a Yeti walked in with a worried face.

North turned to face the Yeti, happy for the distraction. "What is it?"

"Weerrggg mmrregg." The Yeti said urgently, and pointed outside the office to the globe room.

North sighed. "I'm coming." He said and followed the Yeti to the globe room.

He was expecting to see the globe flickering or an injured Yeti, but instead he was pointed to the fire place. He turned and was surprised to see the orange fire turn a bright green. North took a step back knowing what was happening.

Then out of the fire walked a man. This man had a long pure white beard that he could tuck in his belt. He had half-moon spectacles on his nose and a light twinkle in his eyes.

North beamed. "Albus!" North yelled joyfully. He pulled the old wizard into a hug. "It's been long time old friend!" he said as he let go.

Dumbledore smiled brightly. It had indeed been a long time. The last time they saw each other was just after the first wizarding war. "It's good to see you, Nicholas." He then had a dark look.

North saw it. "This isn't a friendly visit, is it?"

Dumbledore sighed. "It isn't. I came to ask for the Guardians help."

North's eyes widened. "Why?" he asked with concern.

"Harry Potter need's protecting at School." Dumbledore said folding his hands.

North closed his eyes. "He's back, isn't he?" Knowing that one day this would happen.

Dumbledore nodded. "In a way, yes. Perhaps I should wait to explain more when the others are here."

North nodded and walked over to the lever that he hadn't touched in two years. He turned to an elf. "Dingle, Prepare for company." He ordered and then pulled the lever up, twisted it then pushed it down.

The aura flew out into the sky and split in four different directions. Just as it had last time.

The first stream flew over a little town called Annecy in France. Tooth flew out a window cradling a tooth in her fingers.

"Look at this!" She whispered excitedly to Baby Tooth.

Baby Tooth chirped happily.

"Archer Guilbert, age 6. He just lost his third tooth. Isn't that wonderful!?" She asked then her eyes landed on the night sky. The Guardian's Call was over head. With a flap of her wings she flew to the north.

The second stream flew over Ester Island. Aster hopped out of a tunnel to enjoy the noon sun, only to groan in annoyance.

"Not again." He muttered at the Call. He taped his foot and opened the tunnel to the North Pole.

The third stream flew over Quedlinburg in Germany. Streams of Dreamsand flew all over the little town, into the windows of the children's rooms and into their heads crating beautiful dreams.

The steams where coming from the Dreamsand cloud in the sky. Sandy was smiling at his work. He turned and his eyes widened at the Call. He waved his hands and the cloud changed into an air ship that he flew to the north.

The final stream was over England near the Galloway Forest Park. It was over a tall manor, hidden by many charms and enchantments from the eyes of Muggles.

Eve was suddenly slammed against the wall by a pissed off Vampire. "So what do you think of the place?" she asked as she struggled against the weight of the Vamp snapping at her neck.

It stopped as frost spread a crossed its face giving it a blue tint, then exploded into icy dust. The dust cleared to reveal Jack holding is staff in front of himself. "I don't know. Could use a little work."

Eve tilted her head to the side. "Duck." She said and pointed her wand at the red haired vampire.

He did just as a stunning spell hit the vamp.

" _Confringo!_ " Eve yelled with a jabbing movant of her wand. The vamp exploded with fire. She looked around and sniffed the air. "I don't smell anymore death, I think we got them all."

Jack stood up with a smile. "That was a different kind of date." He said jokingly.

Eve laughed. "I'm sorry, but it's kinda awkward to have you come over to my house in America where my ghost dad can spy on us. Plus I missed this place." She said as she pointed her wand at the floor. " _Scourgify_." She said and the Vampire dust disappeared into thin air.

"Its fine, Eve. We need our own place if we're getting married." Jack said as they walked to the front door.

Eve smiled as she looked at her left ring finger. An Opal glittered on the silver band. "It's still funny how you got this."

Jack groaned.

"Oh, the story isn't _that_ bad." Eve said as they had reached the porch by then.

"No, not that." Jack said and pointed up into the sky.

Eve looked up and sighed. There it was, The Guardian's Call. "I wonder what's going on."

"One way to find out." Jack said as he jumped into the air.

Eve shook her head and pulled her broom from her bag. She pointed her wand at the mini broom. " _Engorgio_." She whispered and then her broom grew to its full size. She put her wand in her knitted bag and mounted her broom. "Let's go."

The two then flew by broomstick and by wind north.

North looked at Dumbledore worriedly _. 'How could Voldemort be back? And in what way?'_ North thought.

That's when Sandy's sand air ship broke apart and he floated through the skylight. Sand glyphs appeared above his head saying how busy he was, that is until he saw Dumbledore. His eyes widened, and a Phoenix appeared above Sandy's head followed by a question mark.

"We have to wait for the others." North said as Tooth flew in.

"North, what's wrong? Did something happen?" then her eyes landed on Dumbledore, who was standing calmly. "Albus? What are you doing here?"

"Hello, your majesty." Dumbledore said as the door opened.

"NORTH!" Aster yelled. "You better have a good resion for—" His eyes widened at Dumbledore. "Albus?"

"Hello, Aster. I believe there are two missing." Dumbledore said looking at the present Guardians.

North nodded. "Eve and Jack."

"Are here." Jack said as he and Eve landed on the ground.

Eve's eyes widened at Dumbledore. "Oh wow."

"You must be Belleve Hallowell and this must be Jackson Frost." Dumbledore said. "I am Albus Dumbledore." He said holding a hand out to them.

"Yeah, I know who you are." Eve said smiling brightly. "I've flown passed Hogwarts a few times."

Dumbledore smiled.

"Now, Albus, tell us how," North took a breath. Like what he was about to say was difficult. "Voldemort is back."

Tooth gasped, Aster shuttered with wide eyes, and Sandy's eyes widened as sand formed above his head making the dark mark.

"Whoa, I've seen that before, what is it? And who's Voldemort?" Jack asked then he saw the look of fear on Eve's face. "Eve, what is it?"

"That is the Dark Mark, Mr. Frost." Jack turned to look a Dumbledore who had spoken. "The mark of Lord Voldemort. A dark wizard."

Eve bit her lip and shook her head. "He couldn't be back. He died eleven years ago."

Dumbledore hung his head. "I'm afraid there are ways he can come back."

"So what can we do? I assume you have come for a reason other than to inform us about this." Aster said crossing his arms.

"I came to ask for your help in protecting Harry Potter for the rest of his time at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said as his eyes shifted over to Jack and Eve. "Well, more the help of Mr. Frost and Miss Hallowell."

Eve and Jack's eyes narrowed.

"Why us?" Jack asked.

"You two are the youngest and it is Harry's second year. I believe you know what to do, Miss Hallowell." Dumbledore said with a knowing nod.

Eve tilted her head to the side. "I'm not sure. What do you want us to do?"

"I would like the two of you to attend Hogwarts as students." Dumbledore said.

Eve's eyes widened. "What year should we be going into, Dumbledore?"

"Second, Miss Hallowell." He said.

Jack vaguely remembered what Eve had told him about Hogwarts. "But we don't look Twelve."

"As I said Miss Hallowell, I believe you would know what to do." Dumbledore said.

Aster was struggling to hold back laugher.

"Age potion?" Eve asked shocked.

Dumbledore nodded.

"Wait, hold on." Jack said waving a hand. "You want us, two spirits who can't be seen unless believed in, to go to school?"

"Jack, it's a magic school. It won't be that bad." Tooth said, but she seemed to struggle with holding back laugher too.

Jack looked at Eve to see she was thinking about it. "How would we be seen? I don't think Eve has a spell for that."

"Ah," North said brightly, like he had already decided that Eve and Jack should go undercover. "I'll ask Manny to make you seen."

Jack and Eve where shocked.

"You've already decided that we should go?" Jack asked.

Sandy nodded as several glyphs formed to mean 'It's extremely important.'

Eve bit her lip. "I'll do it. Magic is my world, and it is threatened."

Jack ran a hand through his hair. He turned to Eve. "Are sure?" he asked taking her left hand in his.

She looked at her ring and then into Jack's eyes. "Yes. I need to do this." She said as her tail flickered to the left.

Jack sighed. "Where ever you go, I'll follow you."

Eve smiled as her tail curled.

They turned to face their fellow Guardians and Dumbledore. "We'll do it." they said together.

"Then here is your letters." Dumbledore said pulling two letters from his sleeves and handing them to the two.

Eve grinned, she had seen children receive these for years and now felt the same excitement she had seen them have.

"Send me an Owl with the cover story for the two of you." Dumbledore said kindly then looked at his watch from his pocket. "I must go, I have a school to attend to." He looked to North. "Do you have Floo powder?"

North nodded and pointed to the very small bag by the fire place.

"Thank you." He walked over and grabbed a hand full. "Good bye. I'll see you two at the feast on the first of September." He turned to the fire. "Albus Dumbledore's Office." Then he threw the powder into the fire, turning it green and then walked through. He disappeared on the spot as the fire then returned to its normal orange.

Aster finely busted into laugher. "Frostbite going to School! This is the best thing ever!"

Jack walked over to Aster and pointed at him. "Hey, if it wasn't important then I wouldn't be going."

Eve grabbed Jack's shoulder. "I have to start brewing the potions, so let's head back. I'm going to need your help."

Jack sighed and turned to Eve. "Okay let's go."


	2. Chapter Two Potions

**Eve's Pov**

We got back to the manor pretty fast. "Okay my potion lab is also the kitchen." I said as we walked in and turned on the lights on.

"You don't have a lab like you do in America?" Jack asked as we walked into my kitchen.

"I didn't want a lab at the time. So I made my brews in here." I said as my black magic seeped out of my waving hands. The black tendrils grabbed my different potion books. "Nope. Nope. Well…" I muttered as each book went passed. "Ah ha! Found it." I said and grabbed the book with a bright blue cover. _Forms and Ages, Anonymous_. The other books put themselves back as I put it on the table.

"So what Potions are we making?" Jack asked as he put his staff by the door, put my broom next to it and hung my bag on the hanger with my hat.

"A disguise potion, both minor and superior, and age potions." I said turning to the Disguise page, minor. "Can you get the Calderon?" I asked.

"Sure, where is it?" Jack asked as he looked around.

"Uh, the cupboard. To your left." I said as I memorized the ingredients and opened the cupboard. "I'm so glad I cast that safe lock spell. Otherwise there would be nothing here." I said.

"Eve, which Calderon?" Jack asked staring at five different ones.

"The medium iron one." I said and walked over to the stove. I turned it on and turned to see Jack holding two Black iron Calderon's. "Oh, um. That one." I said pointing to the one in his left hand. He handed it to me. "Thanks."

He nodded and looked at the book. "This looks complicated."

"It is." I said pointing my wand inside the Calderon. I moved my wand in a sideways 'S' motion. " _Aguamenti_." I said as the tip of my wand glowed blue. Water jetted out and into the Calderon filling it. I then turn up the heat.

"So why do we need a disguise?" Jack asked as I focused on the potion.

"Well I need it more then you. I'm part cat so I need to hide my tail, ears, and eyes. Plus my skin doesn't exactly look healthy." I said as I ground up the ingredients in a Mortar and Pestle. "You get the minor one, since your hair and eyes are a bit more normal then mine. In the wizarding world at least."

Jack made a grunting sound and nodded. "Anything else I can do?"

"Get 6, no, 12 crystal bottles. From the cabinet on the far right of me." I said adding the ground herbs and watching carefully as the liquid thickened to a honey-like consistency and turned black.

He walked over and gaged. "What is that?" he asked looking in the Calderon.

"Don't think about it." I said as he handed me a bottle.

"I looked at the recipe. How am I supposed to not think about it?" he asked as I reached up and yanked out a hair. "Ow!" he yelped. "What was that for?"

I dropped the hair in the bottle. "So it works only for you." I corked the bottle and shook as hard as I could. When I stopped, the hair was all gone and the liquid looked a bit blue. I headed it to him. "Drink it." I said as I started ladling out the other bottles.

I turned to see him sneering at it in disgust.

"Are you sure it's safe?" he asked as I marked each bottle, J3, J4, J5, J6, and J7.

I paused. "I don't know. I have never made this potion for myself." I said as I started to work on the Superior.

"So, it could kill us?" He asked with a hint of fear.

"No, if I got it wrong then we can't walk for a week." I said as the potion in the Calderon turned to the consistency of Caramel. "Just drink it. I know I have it right."

He still stared at the bottle, biting his lip. "Here it goes." he muttered. Then tilted his head back and downed the honey-like liquid. He grimaced and then slammed the bottle on the table. He gaged and coughed. "That was the…what was that?" he asked.

I grimaced. "Be happy I added ginger root, or you most defiantly would have vomited." I said trying and failing to making him laugh.

"Oh, I hate you." He ground as his skin turn from the 'never stepped foot in the sun' to a healthy peachy color.

"I love you too. Well you look a bit more human." I said as I ladled the potion for me in to the other bottles and labeled them, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, and E7. I yanked out a hair of my own and added it to the bottle. "You're lucky we don't have to make Polyjuice Potion. That would have taken an entire month to make."

His eyes widened as he stared at his human looking hand. Then he looked at me. "A month?"

"Yep." I waved my wand at the caldron. " _Scourgify_." The potion disappeared, as if I hadn't brewed it to begin with. I looked at my potion. "Bottoms up." I said and tilted my head back and waited. "Superior is super thick." I said and just as I finished the potion fell into my mouth. I swallowed as quickly as I could and gagged. "Okay your right. Oh goddess." The taste was dreadful. Like earwax and onions mixed together.

Then the pain hit. It felt like my ears and tail where on fire, which I know how that felt. I bit down on my tongue as hard as I could. The pain stopped as suddenly as it came.

"Whoa, Eve. You look…" he trailed off.

I peeled my eyes open and saw blonde hair in my face. "Whoa, I thought it would make me look human, but I didn't think it would change my hair." I said grabbing at the golden strains. I then realized that I couldn't feel my tail, and my ears were on the sides of my head. I reached up and grabbed them then turn to look at Jack. "How do look?"

"Like how you did, before MIM brought you back." He said still shock.

"So, blue eyes and blonde hair." I said and walked over to the book. "Let's get the age Potion going." I said as I flipped through the pages.

"Your skin looks healthier." Jack said as he hovered over my shoulder. "Hey do you still have your cat senses?"

"And instants. The potion only changes how you look, not how you are." I said as I reached the page. "Oh this is going to take a day to brew." I said as I walked over to the cauldron and turned the heat to high and filled it with water.

"Anything I need to do?" Jack said as he walked over to see me chopping up some roots.

"Yeah. Read the ingredients, find the ones I don't have out, grab them, and put the ones not needed back." I said as I added the ginger root for nausea.

After ten minutes of grinding, chopping, and squeezing, the potion was ready for a simmer on low heat. I put the other disguise potions in the chest by the window and grabbed the other glass bottles.

I focused on the bottles and lifted my hand. Orange magic streamed from my fingers and hit the glasses. Labels appeared similar to the disguise bottles, but instead of single digest the numbers were ages. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17.

"There now we wait." I said. "Let's take a look at the letters."

Jack nodded and we walked out into the living room and sat on the floor by the unlit fire place.

Jack made an ice letter opener and opened the letters. "Well, He decided what our cover names should be."

I nodded. "B. Eve Falls and Jackson Overland. At least we'll remember it." I said taking out another parchment. I read through the list. "Well I have all—Oh no!" I groaned.

"What?" Jack asked looking at his own list with alarm.

"Gilderoy Lockhart! The one person I don't have the books from." I said glaring at the list.

"Why? I thought you liked collecting books." Jack asked.

"I do. Just not from him. There is no way he did all the things that he says he did in those books. He must have taken credit for what others have done." I stood up, feeling the urge to throw or hit something.

Jack cringed. "So how do we get his books?"

I sighed. "We have to go to Diagon Alley, in London." I said calmer. "For now let's go and get our things from my dad's."


	3. Chapter Three Young again

**Jack's Pov**

I woke up to Eve calling my name. "WHAT!?" I yelled back too tired to move from the bed.

"The age potion is almost ready! I need your hair!" She yelled back.

I groaned as I forced myself out of bed. "I'm coming!" I yelled back. I didn't want to drink another potion. The disguise one was the worst thing I had ever tasted. I grabbed my staff that Eve had shrunk to look like a wand.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs Eve smiled at me. "After we are done, we can eat Breakfast." She said and pointed to the six bottles on the table.

I walked over and saw that the age potion looked completely different to the disguise one. This one was a shimmery silver. Picking up the first one, J 12, I yanked a hair and put it in.

"Put your hair in all of them." Eve said and pointed to the other five.

That's when I noted how she was wearing a bathrobe. "What's with the bathrobe?" I asked as I did as she told me.

"We are about to be kids again." She said then sighed as she grabbed the other bottles and put them in the chest that she had put the disguise potions. "That reminds me. Jack, since we will be kids again, we'll have to hide every bit of romantic love for each other until we are back to normal. At the school, wait till we are at the age of fourteen." She said as she grabbed her own bottle.

I pressed my lips in a tight line, I really didn't want to taste this. "Who should drink first?" I asked.

"Well, which one of us is the youngest?" She asked giving me the look I had given to my siblings when I was human.

"Oh, that's not fair." I said now knowing how they felt.

"All's fair in love and war." She quoted.

I glared and then looked at the silvery liquid. "It won't taste as bad as the last one, right?" I asked as I smelled it. It didn't have any sent at all.

"This time I do know its fine." She said holding a bottle, which I assumed was labeled 'E 12'.

"When did you try this?" I asked pulling the bottle away from my mouth.

"The year you didn't see me and I was nowhere to be found, I was 8. Now stop stalling and drink the damn potion." She ordered.

I bit my lip again. Then tilted my head back and downed all of the potion. It was tasteless, like drinking water at room temperature. I put the bottle down and Eve tossed me a robe. I gave her a questioning look. She smiled and that's when I noticed something. She was getting taller.

"Um, Eve…Why are you…" I stopped and pulled the robe on. I was growing shorter, no, I was growing younger. I stopped youthing at Eve's chest.

"This—" My hand flew to my mouth. My voice, it wasn't as deep as it was.

Eve was laughing her natural cackle laugh.

"It's not funny!" I said glaring _**up**_ at her.

"I'm sorry. I'm enjoying this too much." She laughed and uncorked her bottle and after she stopped laughing downed her potion.

She put her bottle next to mine and soon, she was at my height again and looked younger.

"Now we can eat." She said.

It was my turn to laugh at her. Her voice was higher than it was normally.

She rolled her eyes. "Laugh it up. We have to get used to it. We'll be like this for a whole year.

I stopped laughing. "I'm glad we visited Jamie yesterday then. Seeing him like this would've been embarrassing"

She nodded. "Now all we need to do is eat Breakfast, go over our cover story, and wait for Tooth to come."

We ate and went over our cover story that we had told Dumbledore about through bat delivered letters. It was that Eve and I are transfers from Ilvermorny. We moved to England with our aunt and uncle (Tooth and North). We even came up with covers for our pasts. I lost my family to a flood and she lost her's in a house fire.

Eve shrunk our cloths so we had something to wear in between classes. I could deal with going to school, but Eve told me a while ago that the students wear robes and uniforms. That was what I wasn't looking forward too.

Just as we went over the cover again, there was a knock on the door. Eve hiked up her black & purple skirt and, gripping a bottle, ran to the front door. She opened it and Tooth flew in, carrying three bottles and a pair of shoes. Blue converse and I knew they were for me.

"Hi you two! You both look so young!" She gushed and dropped everything she was holding to hug us both.

"Tooth, please. Can't breathe." I gasped out.

"Oh, sorry." She said and let go. "Here are your shoes and socks."

I groaned as she handed me my shoes. Reluctantly I pulled them on. "What are to bottles for?" I asked as I tied the laces.

"Oh, so we can be seen. Mine's temporary while yours will last for the year." Tooth told us as she handed us ours and gripped her own.

"Here's a temporary disguise potion for you. It will hurt though." Eve warned as she handed Tooth the bottle she was holding.

"Thank you, Eve." She said and landed on the floor. "Here goes nothing." She said and downed the potion. After a few seconds doubled over in pain, just like Eve. "I'm fine." she gasped.

We watched as Tooth's feathers formed a fancy dress and dark brown hair that was specked. She stood up straight and we saw her skin had tanned and her eyes turned a bright green. She was also taller than us. She smiled as she spun in a circle. Showing that her wings had turned into a shimmering cloak

"Wow. This is so strange, but amazing." She then held up her bottles for us.

We nodded and downed the contents of our bottles. I felt all warm and fuzzy for a moment.

"Now, we have to go." Tooth said and pointed at Eve's Fire place.

"Floo powder it is." Eve muttered.


	4. Chapter four Meeting the Trio

**Third Person Pov**

The three stood by the fire place. Eve grabbed the bag and opened it. "Now Jack, you remember when I told you about Floo Powder?"

Jack bit his lip. "No."

Eve looked up from the bag with shock. "Um, ok. Tooth do mind going first? So Jack knows how."

Tooth nodded and took a hand full from Eve. She stepped in to the Fire place, held her arm out and cleared her throat. "Diagon Ally." And with that Tooth dropped the powder on to the floor of the unlit fire place. Green flames erupted from below Tooth an engulfed her in green. When the flames died, Tooth was nowhere in sight.

Eve smiled a little. "That's how Dumbledore left the Pole." She said seeing Jack's shocked expression. "Don't worry its totally safe. Just remember to say the location clearly, don't panic, and close your eyes in the beginning. You don't want to get soot in them."

"That still seems unsafe." Jack said as he took a hand full of the powder and stepped into fire place. "I'll do it, just, isn't there another way?"

Eve smiled. "We could Apparate, if we weren't twelve at the moment."

Jack nodded. "So I say what Tooth said, right?" he asked and held his arm out like Tooth had.

"Yep and be very clear." Eve said nodding.

Jack took in a deep breath closed his eyes and said loud and clear. "Diagonally!" And he let go of the powder.

Eve's eyes widened. "Jack, no—"

To late Jack had already dropped the powder and, with a rush of Green flames, was gone from sight.

Eve cursed as she stepped into the fire place and put the powder back. She held her arm out. "Diagon Ally." She said and hoped Jack would be close enough to find.

 **Eve's Pov**

I stepped out of the fire place and found myself in The Leaky Caldron. The smell of alcohol and food filled my nose blocking anything else. I blinked and then saw Tooth looking worried.

"Where's Jack?" She asked.

"He didn't say it clearly. I don't know where he is." I said as I fingered the silver chain around my neck that held my ring. "I'll find him though. He couldn't have gone far."

Tooth bit her lip and nodded. "I'll get the money from the Guardian Vault. What do we need?"

I handed her the list. "Just the books I marked. I'll meet you at the bank with Jack." I said.

Tooth nodded. "Good luck, Eve." She said hugging me tightly, like a mom.

She and I walked out the back of the pub and into Diagon Ally, that's when we split. She went toward Gringotts and I went off to the side and leaned against the wall with my head tilted down. I was discreetly sniffing the air, searching for Jack's scent.

Once I had separated the scent of animals, herbs, food, and objects, it was just the scent of people.

 _'Come on. Come on, Jack. Where are you?'_ I thought as I eliminated the scents until…Pine, fresh mint, and dew. Jack's scent, it was faint, but it was there. My eyes opened I followed the scent. I was careful not to run into anyone as best I could, but I wasn't paying attention to my path as my head turned to the side.

Wham! I ran into someone. "Oh sorry!" I said and looked up, and up, and up some more. I had run to a super tall man with bushy brown hair and beard to match. He peered down at me with beetle black eyes. He was the half-giant scent that I had smelled.

"Tha's all righ." He said nicely. "Yeh seem new aroun here."

I nodded. "I am. I moved here from America just a week ago. My friend and I got separated, when we used Floo Powder."

He smiled. "I could help yeh find em. I just have make a quick stop." He said then started walking. "Rubeus Hagrid, by the way."

I looked up sharing the smile. "Eve Falls. Nice to meet you, Rubeus."

He chuckled. "Hagrid is just fine."

I laughed then my blood ran cold. The place we were head to was…Knockturn Ally.

"Wait here, Eve. Knockturn Ally is a dangerous place." Hagrid said.

I could only nod. That was where Jack's scent was coming from. _'Please be safe.'_

 **Jack's Pov**

I was spinning and spinning. I couldn't see Tooth or Eve and the fire's movements were making me feel sick. I just wanted it stop. Then it did and I tumbled out of a dusty ashy fire place. The ash and dust entered my lungs as I breathed in. I slowly stood up from my crouched position coughing to try and take a breath.

"Did you mean to come here?" asked a British accented voice that sounded like a boy my age at the moment.

I looked over to see a boy with unkempt black hair, green eyes that where behind round rimmed glasses. The bridge of the glasses where snapped. He too was covered in soot, ash and dust.

I then looked around me. It was a dimly lit shop of some sort. I didn't to have magic to feel that the objects in here where bad.

"I don't think so." I said, my voice raspy from the ash.

"Where were you trying to go?" He asked as he too looked around.

The walls had evil looking masks on them that seemed to be looking at us. This whole place read as dark and evil.

"Diagon Ally. You?" I asked as I looked out the window. The world outside looked nothing like how Eve had described Diagon Ally.

"Same, and we're defiantly not there." He said. "Let's get out of here."

I nodded and we walked over to the door, but froze. Two people were on the other side. They looked like father and son, what with the same hair and eyes, and they didn't look like the sort of people you'd want to hang around with.

The boy grabbed my shoulder and dragged me to a large black cabinet. We leaped inside and closed the doors till only a small crack was left for us to peer through. Just seconds later the bell clanged and the two walked into the shop.

The father looked around lazily at the glass display cases then walked to the front counter and hit the bell. He turned to his son. "Touch nothing, Draco."

So now I had a name for the son with gelled back bright blonde hair. Wait did wizards even have hair gel?

The son turned from about to touch a glass eye, to look at his father. "I thought you were going to buy me a present."

I fought back the urge to groan. Draco was one of those kids that where spoiled rotten.

The father rolled his eyes. "I said I would buy you a racing broom," he said as he impatiently dumbed his fingers on the counter.

"What's the good of that if I'm not on the House team?" Draco asked sulky and sounded on the verge of yelling. "Harry Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so he could play for Gryffindor. He's not even that good, it's just because he's _famous_ …famous for having a _scar_ on his forehead…"

I felt the boy tense next to me. So I was not only listening to a spoiled kid whine and insulting the person Eve and I are going to be protecting, but I was standing with a boy, who might be good friends with or was Harry, in a cabinet in an evil filled shop.

Draco had kneed down to look at the skulls. "…everyone thinks he's so smart, wonderful _Potter_ with his _scar_ and his _broomstick_ —"

"You have told me this at least a dozen times already," Draco's Father said with a controlling look at his son. "And I would remind you that it is not –prudent—to appear less then fond of Harry Potter, not when most of our kind regard him as a hero who made the Dark Lord disappear—Ah, Mr. Borgin."

A hunched man had appeared behind the counter, pushing his greasy hair out of his face. "Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again," said Borgin in an oily voice that match him. "Delighted—and young Master Malfoy, too—charmed. How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and very reasonably priced—"

Mr. Malfoy interrupted. "I'm not buying, Mr. Borgin, but selling,"

My brow creased. Now this was interesting.

"Selling?" the eager smile had faded from Borgin's face.

"You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids," Mr. Malfoy said taking out a parchment, unraveling it, and handed it over for Borgin to read. "I have a few—ah—items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call…"

Borgin fixed a pair of pince-nez to his nose to get a better look at the list. "The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?"

Mr. Malfoy's lip curled. "I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows ever more meddlesome. There are rumors about a new Muggle Protection Act—no doubt that flea-bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it—"

I felt the boy tense again, like he was holding back anger.

"—and as you see, certain of these poisons might make it _appear_ —"

"I understand, sir, of course," Borgin interrupted trying to keep Mr. Malfoy calm. "Let me see…"

"Can I have that?" Draco interrupted pointing at a creepy hand.

I looked at the boy next to me, he had calmed a little since Mr. Malfoy had insulted Arthur Weasley.

"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" Said Borgin, abandoning Mr. Malfoy's list and rush over to Draco, hoping for a sale. "Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."

I grimaced. If that was fine taste then I hate to see what cool was to this guy.

"I hope my son will amount to more than a thief or a plunderer, Borgin." Said Mr. Malfoy, with a hint of dismay.

Borgin quickly shook his head. "No offense, sir, no offense meant—"

"Though if his grades don't pick up," Mr. Malfoy said coldly looking at his son. "That may indeed be all he is fit for—"

"It's not my fault," Draco retorted angrily. "The teachers all have favorites, that Hermione Granger—"

"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no wizard family beat you in every exam," Mr. Malfoy snapped.

"Ha!" the boy whispered, clearly happy that Draco looked angry and ashamed, I was inclined to agree.

"It's the same all over," said Borgin, in his oily voice. "Wizard blood is counting for less everywhere—"

"Not with me." Mr. Malfoy said, his nose flaring.

"No, sir, nor with me, sir," Borgin said and bowed, as if sucking up to Mr. Malfoy.

"In that case, perhaps we can return to my list," said Mr. Malfoy shortly. "I'm in something of a hurry, Borgin, I have important business elsewhere today—"

They started to haggle. I looked to the side and sucked in a breath. Draco was getting closer and closer to our hiding place as he looked at everything that was for sale. Draco paused to read a card of an opal neckless, with a smirk. I could just barely make out what it said.

 _Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed—Has Claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date._

For a moment I wondered if Eve knew about that neckless, but I didn't get to think on it for long, as Draco reached out a hand to the handle of the cabinet that the boy and I were hiding in. We held our breath.

"Done," Mr. Malfoy said at the counter. "Come, Draco—"

I let out the breath as the boy wiped his forehead on his sleeve. Draco walked over to his father.

"Good day to you, Borgin. I'll expect you at the manor tomorrow to pick up the goods." Mr. Malfoy said as he and Draco left the shop.

The moment the door shut, Borgin lost the oiliness of his voice. "Good day yourself, _Mister_ Malfoy, and if the stories are true, you haven't sold me half of what's hidden in your _manor_ …" He continued to mutter darkly as he walked back in to the back.

The boy and I waited, to make sure that we wouldn't get caught, then as fast as we could, slipped out of the cabinet, through the glass cases, and out the door.

We came out into a dark ally, I had been in many allies in my time, but this is the first time I would ever use the word dingy to describe one. The shops looked as dark and evil as the shop we walked out of.

"Lets' go." The boy hissed in my ear as he struggled to hold his broken glasses strait.

I nodded as my eyes settled on two ragged-looking wizards in in a door way watching us and muttering. "That would be a good idea." I said and we bolted off.

I spotted a sign that told us that we were in some place called 'Knockturn Ally' which didn't help us, because we still didn't know how to get to Diagon Ally from here. I could only hope Eve could smell me and would find us soon.

"Not lost are you, my dears?" a voice said in our ears, making us jump.

I hate being snuck up on, it remains me too much of Pitch's Lair. The old woman who had spoken stood in front us. She smirked at us showing her mossy teeth, I couldn't help but think that Tooth would tie this woman to a chair and force her to brush her teeth. Then I saw what she was carrying. A tray of what seemed to be whole human fingernails.

"No we're good." I said and put my arm back to try and put the boy behind me to protect him.

"We're fine." the boy said trying stay back. "We just—"

A voice cut the boy off. "HARRY! What d'yeh think yer doin' down there?"

Harry looked like he shared the relief I felt. The witch on the other hand jumped and the fingernails went flying. She cursed as a huge man walked over. I swear he was taller than North, and that's saying something.

"Hagrid!" Harry choked relived. "I was—we were lost—Floo Powder—"

Hagrid grabbed the both of us by the scruff and pulled us away from the old witch, knocking the tray out of her hands. She shrieked loudly. He led us through twists and turns until the sun hit our faces. I smiled, it felt nice to see it again. I could see so many colors of the shops in front of us and I knew that this had to be Diagon Ally.

"Yer both a mess!" Hagrid said gruffly and brushed Harry so hard, he nearly fell into a barrel, I didn't really want to know was in it. "Skulkin' around Knockturn Ally, I dunno—dodgy place, you two—don' want no one ter see yeh down there—"

"I realized _that_ ," Harry said as I ducked Hagrid trying to brush me off. "I told you, we were lost— what were you doing down there, anyway?"

I looked around hoping that Eve hadn't gotten lost.

"I was lookin' fer Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent," growled Hagrid. "They're ruinin' the school cabbages. Yer not on yer own?"

"I'm staying with the Weasleys but we got separated," Harry explained. "I've got to go and find them…"

Hagrid turned to me as if waiting.

"I got separated from my auntie and friend." I said.

Hagrid seemed to notices something. "Do yeh know anyone named Eve?"

My eyes widened. "You know where she is?"

He nodded and pointed behind me.

"JACK!" I turned to have a mop of blonde hair hit me in the face as Eve pulled me into the tightest hug.

"Hey, Eve… choking me." I wheezed.

"Oh, sorry." She said and pulled away, then she hit my arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" I asked, this time I genuinely didn't know.

"Don't scare me like that again. Auntie Thina was worried." She said slipping into the role of the concerned yet annoyed friend, as if it were natural.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"Oh," Harry said smacking his forehead. "I didn't tell you my name."

I turned to Harry as Eve waved. "No and I haven't ether."

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter." Harry said holding out a hand to us.

"I'm Jack Overland, and this is Eve Falls." I said taking his hand in a firm hand shake.

"Nice to meet you two. Are you from America?" Harry asked us as we all started walking towards the big white marble building.

"Yeah. We just moved here a week ago." I said as I ran a hand through my hair shaking the ash and soot from it, but I didn't get it all.

 **Eve's Pov**

"How come yeh never wrote back ter me?" Hagrid asked Harry as we jogged alongside him, trying to keep pace with him.

Then Harry spoke of his terrible Auntie and Uncle blaming him for magic and putting bars on his window, when it was a House Elf, Dobby who had done the magic.

I felt my blood boil. What kind of people do that to a kid?

"Lousy Muggles," growled Hagrid. "If I'd've know—"

"Harry! Harry! Over here!"

We all looked up to see a girl with bushy brown hair and brown eyes, standing at the top of the white steps of Gringotts. She ran down the steps and smiled brightly.

"What happened to your glasses? Hello, Hagrid—Oh, it's _wonderful_ to see you two again—Are you coming into Gringotts, Harry?" She asked at a fast pace that reminded me of Tooth, who was probably in the bank. Then her gaze turned to us. "Oh, hello. I'm Hermione Granger." She said holding her hand out.

I took it with a smile. "I'm Eve Falls, and Snow-White ("Hey!") Over here is Jack Overland."

She smiled as we let go and Jack shook her hand. "We moved here last week." He said.

Hermione's eyes brightened as she let go. "Did you go to Ilvermorny in America?"

I smiled even more. "Yeah! We've transferred to Hogwarts." I said.

She then turned back to Harry. "So are you?" she asked and gestured behind her.

"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," Harry said smiling happy to see another friendly face.

"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said with a grin.

We looked around to see five redheads sprinting over to us. One was our age, for now, two were twins two years older, one looked like he would be leaving Hogwarts next year, and the last was obviously their dad.

"Harry," the father panted when they reached us. "We _hopped_ you'd only gone one grate too far…" He wiped his glistening bald patch on his head. "Molly's frantic—she's coming now—"

"Where did you come out?" Ron asked, still not noticing Jack or me.

"Knockturn Ally." Hagrid said grimly.

" _Excellent!_ " The twins said together, vaguely reminding me of Bill and Ted.

"We've never been allowed in." The boy our age said enviously.

"I should ruddy well think not." Hagrid growled.

Just then a red-haired woman came galloping over to us, her handbag swinging back 'n fourth in one hand and a young girl clinging to the other.

"Oh, Harry—oh, my dear—you could have been anywhere—" she said gasping for breath as she pulled a brush from her handbag and started brushing the soot out of Harry's hair. The father took Harry's glasses and gave them a tap with his wand, repairing them instantly and gave them back.

"Well, gotta be off." Hagrid said as his hand was being squeezed by the mother, I assumed her name was Molly ("Knockturn Ally! If you hadn't found him, Hagrid!"). "See yer at Hogwarts!" And he strode away, he was way taller than anyone in the market.

"Oh, and who might you be dears?" Molly asked.

I turned and smiled. "I'm Eve Falls and this is Jack Overland."

She smiled. "I'm Molly Weasley and this is my husband Arthur and my children, Percy," She pointed to the oldest, "Fred, George," She pointed to the twins, "Ron," She pointed to the boy standing in front of Harry, "And Ginny." She said pointing to the girl. She then saw the soot still in Jack's hair and on his face and cloths. "Oh, dear how did you get covered in soot?"

Jack and Harry looked at each other. "I messed up the Floo Powder and found myself in Knockturn Ally, with Harry."

Mrs. Weasley gasped. "Are you alright, dear?"

Jack laughed his charming laugh. "Yeah I'm fine. I just got a little spooked."

She smiled relived. "That's good."

We turned to climb up the steps of Gringotts as I looked for Tooth. _'She must have gotten the money by now.'_ I thought.

"Guess who we saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Harry said/asked Ron and Hermione. "Malfoy and his father."

"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" Mr. Weasley asked sharply, clearly he wanted deeply to know.

Jack shook his head. "Nope, he was selling—"

"So he's worried," Mr. Weasley said with grim satisfaction, like he had most defiantly been waiting for this. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something…"

"You be careful, Arthur," Mrs. Weasley said sharply as my nose picked up Tooth as we were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the door. "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew—"

"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" Mr. Weasley said heatedly, but then he looked to the side to see a Muggle couple, who stood nervously at one of the counters that ran along the great marble hall.

I smiled as Tooth walked over with a warm smile.

"But you're Muggles!" said Mr. Weasley like it was then best thing ever. "We must have a drink! What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" He said pointing excitedly at the ten pound notes in the man's hand.

Ron turned to us. "Meet you back here." He said then he ran to join the other Weasleys and Harry to go and get there things in there volts, leaving Hermione, her parents I assumed, Jack, Tooth and I.

Hermione turned to her parents. "Jack, Eve, this is my Mum and Dad." She introduced.

"It's nice to meet you two." Mr. Granger said holding out a hand that wasn't holding money to us.

We took turns shaking hands.

"I don't recall Hermione mentioning ether of you." Mrs. Granger said also shaking hands with us.

"Oh, I just meet them today." Hermione said a bit embarrassed.

"Hi there, I'm Thina Queen their auntie. We just moved here from America." Tooth said taking the hand shake from Mr. Granger followed by Mrs. Granger.

Hermione looked confused. "I thought you said you surnames where Overland and Falls?"

"We're adopted." Jack said rubbing the back of his head.

The Grangers looked sad all of a sudden.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Hermione gasped.

I gave a gentle smile. "It's okay, Hermione. You couldn't have known. I mean you did just meet us today."


	5. Chapter Five Flourish and Blotts

**Third Person Pov**

Once they all, The Guardians, Weasleys, Grangers, and Harry, were back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Percy Weasley muttered something about needing a new quill. Fred and George Weasley had seen their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to the Secondhand Robe Shop. Mr. Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers and Tooth off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.

"We'll all meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your schoolbooks," Mrs. Weasley said setting off with Ginny. "And not one step down Knockturn Ally!" she shouted at the twins, who were no doubt thinking about going.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Jack, and Eve where left alone to stroll off along the winding, cobbled street. The sound of the gold, silver, and bronze jangling in the pouch Harry was carrying entered Eve's ears and reminded her of the bells of North's sleigh.

Harry led them to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor and bought three large strawberry-and peanut-butter ice creams, which he gave two to Ron and Hermione. He tried to buy Eve and Jack some, but they declined. Eve said that they would buy their own and that he should save his money for his school books, Hermione was liking Eve the more she time she spent around her. Jack couldn't decide what flavor to get however, so Eve stepped up and asked for two Mint-and-Cotton-Candy ice creams. When Jack took his first lick his eyes went wide and he looked at Eve with a smile, it tasted like the winter wind that he flew on. They licked and slurped the ice cream as they walked by shop windows.

Ron gazed yearningly at a full set of Chudley Cannon robes in the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, however Hermione dragged them all off to buy ink and parchment next door. Soon after they all slowly started regrouping. Fred and George obviously had more fun in Jack's eyes. The moment they spoke of the joke shop they went to he let the childishness come out and jumped up, fist bumping the air and asking what all they had. Percy was immersed in the super boring book, _Prefects Who Gained Power._

" _A study Hogwarts perfects and their later careers_ ," Ron read out loud off the back of the book cover. "That sounds _fascinating_ …" he said sarcastically.

"Go away," Percy snapped.

"'Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out…He wants to be Minister of Magic…" Ron told them as they left Percy to his book.

As decided, an hour later they all headed over to Flourish and Blotts. However, they weren't the only ones headed there. To the five's surprise, there was a line of folks trying to get in. Eve was the first to look up.

"Oh no." She mumbled.

Everyone else looked up too to see the reason for the line that was made up of mostly Witches. There was a banner that stretched over the windows.

 **GILDEROY LOCKHART**

 **Will be signing copies of his autobiography**

 _ **MAGICAL ME**_

 **Today 12:30 P.M to 4:30 P.M**

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed with joy. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"

" _Oh joy_." Eve muttered sarcastically, casing Harry and Ron to look relived that not _every_ girl liked Lockhart.

They walked closer and slipped in. Eve watched as Hermione, Harry, and Ron grabbed copies of _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2._

Hermione turned to Jack and Eve. "Don't you two need one?"

"Nope. Our adoptive cousins, Aster and Sandy, loaned us theirs's." Eve said, but Hermione had lost interest and was looking for a glimpse of Lockhart.

They threaded up the line farther and found all the rest of the Weasleys, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, and Tooth.

"Oh, there you are, good," Mrs. Weasley said. She seemed out of breath and kept fixing her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute…"

Tooth beamed. "I can't wait. Have you seen how well he keeps his teeth?" She all but gushed and sighed.

Eve's eyes widened. _'No, Tooth! Not you too!'_

Gilderoy Lockhart came into view and sat at a table surrounded by large pictures of himself. All winking with a dazzling white smile at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that matched his eyes exactly; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a carefree angle on his wavy blonde hair.

There was a short irritable-looking man dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every shot he took.

"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron and took a step back to get a better shot. "This is for _the Daily Prophet_ —"

"Big deal." Ron said as he rubbed his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.

Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron—and then he saw Harry. He stared. He leapt to his feet and practically shouted. "It can't be Harry Potter?"

The crowd quitted in excitement to see what would happen; Lockhart ran over to Harry, grabbed his arm and pulled him to the front. The crowd went nuts with applause. Harry's face turned red with embarrassment as Lockhart shook his hand for the photographer, who was snapping as many photographs as he could, wafting thick smoke over the Grangers, Weasleys, and Guardians as he did so.

"Nice big smile, Harry," Lockhart said through his teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."

When Lockhart let go of Harry's hand, he didn't have feeling in his fingers. Harry tried to get back over to the Weasleys, but Lockhart was having none of it. Lockhart threw his arm around Harry's shoulders forcing him to stay by his side.

Jack and Eve cringed, feeling sorry for Harry.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Lockhart called loudly, waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!" he said excitedly. "When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography—which I shall be happy to present him now, free of charge—"

The crowd went nuts again and Eve groaned as Hermione looked dreamy-eyed, just as Tooth was.

"He had _no idea_ ," Lockhart called over the applause, as he shook Harry casing Harry's glasses to slip to the end of his nose. "That he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, _Magical Me_."

Eve's eyes widened. _'Please, oh goddess please don't say what I think you're going to say.'_ She thought desperately.

"He and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

The crowd cheered and clapped as Harry was given the entire collected works of Gilderoy Lockhart.

Eve was slack jawed. "Did that just happen? I'm not going deaf? I didn't imagen it? Did he just say that he is teaching, at Hogwarts?" She said unable to stop the questions from flying out of her mouth.

Jack nodded.

"Oh, isn't that wonderful!?" Hermione asked all girly like.

Harry just barely managed to get to where Ginny was and put all the books in the caldron she was carrying.

"You have these," Harry mumbled to her. "I'll buy my own—"

"Bet you loved that, didn't you Potter?" said a voice Harry had no desire to hear.

Jack glared at a sneering Draco Malfoy, as he and Eve had followed Harry.

Harry straightened up and turned to come face to face with Malfoy.

"Famous Harry Potter," Malfoy said. "Can't even go into a _bookshop_ without making the front page."

Eve was about to say something, but Ginny beat her to it.

"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" she said glaring up at Malfoy.

"Potter, you've got yourself a _girlfriend_!" Malfoy drawled.

Ginny went red as Ron and Hermione fought their way to join them, holding Lockhart books in their arms.

"Oh, it's you," Ron said looking at Malfoy as if he were a slug. "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," Malfoy retorted. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all this."

Ron went as red as Ginny. He dropped his books into the caldron too, and started toward Malfoy, but Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket to hold him back.

Eve felt her blood boil and tried to lash out at the snobbish child as well. She may be a guardian, but she still had full right to show her dislike for a person. Plus, it helped make everyone think she was a twelve year old with a red hot temper.

Jack grabbed her shoulders, even though he too felt like he wanted to lash out, but held it back as best he could. However, his powers didn't, as the room's temperature seemed to drop a few degrees. Everyone visibly shivered.

"Ron!" Mr. Weasley said as he and the twins struggled to get over. "What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside." He then looked at Eve and Jack. "Your Auntie is buying your books."

"Well, well, well—Arthur Weasley." Mr. Malfoy said with a hand on Malfoy's shoulder, with the same Sneer on his face.

"Lucius." Mr. Weasley said, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," Mr. Malfoy said. "All those raids…I hope they're paying you overtime?" he reached in to Ginny's caldron and pulled out a very beat-up _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration._ "Obviously not." He said with a raised eyebrow, but not for curiosity, it was for an 'as expected' look. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr. Weasley flashed redder then Ginny and Ron. "We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy."

Eve had long since calmed down and so had Jack, but the shop was still pretty cold.

"Clearly." Said Mr. Malfoy his pale eyes straying over to Mr. and Mrs. Granger and Tooth, who were all watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley…and I thought your family could sink no lower—"

There was a loud clang as Ginny's caldron went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself at Mr. Malfoy, knocking him backward into a book shelf. Dozens of spell books fell on all their heads.

"Get him, Dad!" yelled Fred and George.

"No, Arthur, no!" Shrieked Mrs. Weasley.

The crowd stepped back and in doing so knocked more shelves of books.

"Gentlemen, please—please!" the assistant cried.

Then the loudest voice called, "Break it up, there gents, break it up—"

Hagrid was wading toward them through the sea of books. In an instant he pulled Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy apart. Mr. Weasley had a cut lip and Mr. Malfoy was hit in the eye by a copy of _Encyclopedia of Toadstools_. He was still holding Ginny's Transfiguration book. He threw it at her, he eyes filled with malice.

"Here, girl—take your book—it's the best your father can give you—" He said as he pulled away from Hagrid. Then he beckoned Malfoy and they left the shop.

"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur." Hagrid said, almost lifting Mr. Weasley off the ground as he straightened his robes. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that—no Malfoy's worth listenin' ter—bad blood, that's what it is—come on now—let's get outta here."

Jack and Eve nodded and followed them out with Tooth, who was holding two sets of Lockhart books in her arms. This feat showed truly how strong Tooth really was for such a small thing.

They hurried up the street with tension. The Grangers looked a bit shaken as they walked with them, but it was Mrs. Weasley that had a look fury.

"A _fine_ example to set for your children… _brawling_ in public… _what_ Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought—"

"He was pleased." Fred interrupted. "Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from _the Daily Prophet_ if he'd be able to work the fight into his report—said it was all publicity—"

 **Eve's Pov**

We had to say good bye to the Grangers, Weasleys, and Harry since they had done all their shopping. The Trio said their 'good bye's and 'See you at school's.

Just as Tooth was about to lead us back into the Ally to get our robes, Hagrid pulled us aside.

"Dumbledore told me about yeh." He said shocking me. "He told all the teachers tha," he paused and looked around for listeners. He found none. "Jack Frost and Eve Hallowell would be comin' ter keep an eye on the students, but he told me tha yeh'd be there for Harry more than the others."

"He told all the teachers?" Jack asked just as shock as me.

Hagrid nodded. "Before I let yeh go, I have a question for yeh Eve."

I nodded. "Sure, ask away."

"Do yeh get hairballs?" He asked.

Jack looked like he was trying really hard not to laugh.

"Nope. I only have a few traits of a cat. Thankfully that doesn't count hairballs." I said as I gave Jack a sharp look.

Hagrid smiled as he nodded. "Well, I'd assum that yeh have some shoping left, so I'll let yeh go. See yeh at Hogwarts."


	6. Chapter Six The Train and Sorting

**Jack's Pov**

I woke up to a loud knocking at my door. Groaning I put the pillow over my head. "Go away!" I moaned into the mattress.

"Jack, it's time to get up!" North called through the door.

"No…Five more minuets!" I said as sleep started to come creeping back.

The door banged against the wall. I tried hard to ignore it. Until I was sent flying into the air. Yelping as the wind caught me and lowered me on the bed I saw that North had pulled the mattress up.

"Okay! I'm up!" I yelled holding my hands up in surrender then I saw the clock. "9:09 A.M.! North, Eve said the train doesn't leave until 11!"

North just laughed. "It's good to get there early. Less crowds to fight through." He said as he fixed the mattress. "Eve is still asleep if you could go and wake her up. I need to check on your trucks." And with that he left.

I smirked as I got out of bed and changed in to a random pair of jeans, my hoodie, the shoes, and grabbed my staff/wand. I ran a crossed the hall to Eve's door. I knocked on it. "Eve, you up?" I asked as I opened the door without thinking.

My eyes landed on Eve who was seemingly trying to read a book titled, _Voyages with Vampires_. She wasn't doing well.

"He has his facts right, just he's so fake." She mumbled and slammed the book shut then turned to look at me. She was dressed in an orange sweater with a black skirt and her boots that she always wore. Her hair was in a tight ponytail. "Did you try to brush your hair?" She asked teasingly.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't need to." I said irritably.

She could always pick up my emotions. "Jack, North is right. We should get there early." She said as she stuck her wand in her bag that never left her side. "Look I'll let you sleep when we get there. Okay? I won't even poke you."

I snorted as we left her room and headed down stairs. Once there North had downed his sight potion so he could be seen temporarily.

"Ah, Good! Now let's go." North said as he handed us each a chocolate egg. "Bunny said that you two should have these for breakfast."

I took mine as Eve took hers. "Are they his special eggs?" she asked as she sniffed it.

"Yes!" North said as he picked up our trunks like they were nothing.

I smelled mine and smiled at the smell of bacon. "Of course it would be—"

"Turkey bacon." Eve said as she shoved the whole thing into her mouth.

I shook my head as we followed North outside the manor. He had a Portal open and ready for us to go through. I ate the egg and looked at North. "Who goes first?"

"You two, I'll then send your trunks through, and then I will follow." He said and gestured at the swirling portal.

I turned to Eve.

"Youngest first." She said smirking.

"Ladies first." I said with a mock bow and my own smirk.

"That is so not fair." She said and walked to the portal. She smiled and leaped through.

I jumped after her. When I landed I was in awe. I stood next to a bright Scarlet train. On a sign over head read the _Hogwarts Express 11:00_. Steam rose from the engine. Then my eyes landed on another sign. _Platform 9 ¾._

"Wow…" I breathed.

"Agreed." Eve said just as awed.

A loud banging noise made us jump and turn to see Eve's black trunk on the floor. She rushed over and grabbed it out of the way as my dull brown trunk came flying out. I grabbed it just as it hit the ground. Then looked up to see North come out and the portal closed. He pulled out a pocket watch and smiled. "We are just a little bit early." He said as a few people stated coming in with trolleys.

"How early are we now?" Eve asked as she adjusted her bag.

"9:20. We are fine. Now you get whatever seats you want." He said.

Her eye widened. "Wow I didn't think we'd get here so soon."

North took a deep breath. "See you Christmases, you two." He said and pulled us into a big, bone crushing hug that lifted us off our feet.

"North! Can't…Breath!" We said at the same time.

"Sorry." He said as he put us back down. "Now go on. You have a job to do."

We nodded, turned away, and then walked down the side of the train cars.

 **Eve's Pov**

Jack was fast asleep on the seat in the compartment that we chose. I smiled at him as I looked back down at the book that I hated. _'Why did Lockhart have to be teaching?'_

Then my head perked up at the sound of voices and smells of students. Our future classmates. I closed the book followed by my eyes and I tried to find Harry, Ron and Hermione by scent and sound. I listened and sniffed. My eyes opened as I grabbed the book and shoved it in my bag. Hermione walked right passed the compartment.

"Hermione!" I said as I opened the door.

She turned and smiled. "Hello, Eve. Have any room?"

I nodded. "Sure." I said and walked back to my seat.

She came in and saw Jack.

"He wanted to sleep longer." I said as she took her seat.

"Have you seen Harry or Ron?" She asked as she set her bag on the side.

My brow creased. "They're not with you?" I asked.

Her eyes widened. "It's 10:58."

I kicked Jack on the other side. "Ow!" he opened his eyes. "I thought you said you wouldn't wake me up."

"I said I wouldn't poke you. We need to find Harry and Ron." I said and grabbed my bag.

He gave me a tired look. "They're just late."

I shook my head as the train started to move and caused me to wobble. Hermione bit her lip.

"Let's look for them. Maybe Jack is right and they're just late." Hermione said grabbing her bag.

"One of us should stay here in case they come here." Jack said seeing my eyes. He knew that I couldn't smell Ron or Harry.

"I'll stay. You two go." I said and put my bag down.

Hermione nodded and she and Jack ran off to look for Ron and Harry. I waited, listening and smelling the air. No sign of ether. A little while later the door opened.

"They're not on the train." Jack said as he and Hermione came back in.

"Maybe they'll come anther way?" I asked worriedly. It technically was Jack and my first day on the job and we were already messing up.

"I serenely hope so." Hermione said as we sat down.

It was silent for a long time. Hermione broke it after the landscape outside turned to farm land. "You two are transfers, right?"

"Yeah." We said.

"So nether of you have been sorted into a Hogwarts house yet." She said as she adjusted her skirt.

"No. we haven't. What houses are there?" Jack asked.

"Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." I said smiling. "I read the history book."

Hermione beamed brightly. "Well, what house do you think you'll be in?"

I thought about it. "I think Hufflepuff to be honest, but I wouldn't mind Gryffindor."

She nodded. "I hope both of you are in Gryffindor. You both seem like you'd fit right in." She looked outside the window. "We should get into our robes. We'll be arriving soon."

We returned after we dressed in our robes, and Jack was complaining.

"I hate uniforms." he said as he struggled with his black tie.

I rolled my eyes as I clasped my robe shut. "It's not that bad."

 **Third Person Pov**

The Train pulled to a stop in Hogsmead station. Hagrid stood waiting for the first years, he was also waiting to tell Eve and Jack that they would be going with the other years. The doors opened and students piled out and then Hagrid's voice called over the crowd.

"Jack! Eve! Go with the others! Frist years over here! Frist years!"

Jack and Eve looked at each other and walked with Hermione to the carriages. "I think a teacher will meet you two at the doors and tell you to wait with the first years or something." Hermione said as they drew closer.

Jack froze. There hooked up to the carriages, where black, skeletal, dragon-faced creatures. Their eyes had no pupils and on their backs where great bat-like wings. These things Jack supposed where horses, but they seemed sinister. He turned to Eve hoping she could see them. She definitely could, considering she was staring right at them.

"Came on, you two." Hermione said then she saw their faces. Jack seemed to go right back to his original skin tone. "Are you two alright?"

Eve recovered first. "Yeah. We're fine." She grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him along. She leaned in to his ear when Hermione wasn't looking as they searched for an empty carriage. "They're Thestrals, Jack. They can only be seen by those who have seen death."

He looked to her as one shook it's head, as if board. "Like you?" he whispered, not at all questioning why he could see them. He had seen plenty of death. That and he died himself.

"Sort of. Only with them you don't have to see someone close to you die, it could be anyone and you'd see them." Eve said then pulled away.

"Here we are." Hermione said and she climbed into one. "Come on. Do you two want to get sorted or not?" she asked.

The two climbed in next to Hermine as a few other Gryffindors came over. The three were Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnegan, and Dean Tomes. Neville smiled at Hermione.

"Where's Ron and Harry?" Seamus asked looking around as he climbed in.

"They weren't on the train." She said as Neville and Dean climbed in.

Dean looked at Jack and Eve. "Who are you two? Why are you wearing first year robes?"

The carriage started to move. Jack would patriotically look at the Thestral pulling it.

"We transferred from Ilvermorny. I'm Eve and this is Jack." Eve said pulling Jack's attention from the Thestral.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Seamus Finnegan." He said holding out a hand to shake.

Eve shook his hand followed by Jack.

"I'm Neville Longbottom." Neville said taking Jack's hand and shaking it.

Eve shook Neville's hand next.

"I'm Dean Tomes." Dean said taking Eve's hand.

They began to talk about how America was different from England and how the transition for Eve and Jack was. That slowly turned to talking about Quidditch and what house they would be in. By the time they had nothing to talk about anymore, the carriage had pulled to a stop outside the big doors.

They all piled out of the carriage and walked in. There waiting for them was Professor Severus Snape in his black robes and his ever present sneer. "Get inside." He sneered to the Gryffindors.

They nodded and Hermione managed a quick "Good Luck" before running in and up the stairs to the Great Hall.

Snape turned to the two spirits. "You will wait here until I come back." He wasn't being his usual rude self. After all, these two could very well end up in his house.

Jack and Eve nodded not wanting to be rude. After a long time of waiting for Snape to come back, he did and led them up the stairs. However, the moment they stepped on the first few steps, Eve's nose picked up Harry and Ron's scents filling her with relief.

 _'Oh, thank the goddess! We didn't lose them.'_ She thought as they climbed and Harry and Ron's voices filled not only her ears, but Jack and Snape's ears as well.

"Hang on…" Harry's voice muttered. "There's an empty chair at the staff table…Where's Snape?"

It clicked for Eve that the teacher with her and Jack was this Snape that Harry was talking about.

"Maybe he's ill!" Ron said hopefully as Eve, Jack, and Snape came up behind them.

The two where peering through a crack in the great oak doors of the Great Hall.

"Maybe he's _left_ ," Harry said with a shrug. "Because he missed out on the Defense Against the Dark Arts job _again_!"

Eve felt like she should say something to let them know they were there, but the look she got from Snape shut her up.

"Or he might have been _sacked_!" Ron said enthusiastically. "I mean, everyone hates him—"

Snape finely spoke. "Or maybe," he began coldly. "He's waiting to hear why you two didn't arrive on the school train."

The two spun around to face them. When they saw Eve and Jack with their heads down and Snape's smile, they knew they were in deep trouble.

"Follow me." Snape said then turned to Jack and Eve. "Wait here until you are called." And with that he led Harry and Ron down the stairs.

Eve bit her lip and Harry and Ron disappeared down the stairs. She saw the bruises they had and wondered how they got them, but one thing that she didn't like was the rat in the cage. He had a strange scent about him. She just didn't like him.

"Eve, You okay?" Jack asked drawing her out of her thoughts.

"I'm fine. Just nervous." She said turning to look at him with a genuine nervous smile.

He nodded. "Me too."

The doors opened and a woman in green robes and a tight bun beckoned them in. They followed as the doors shut. They were again in awe at the Great Hall. The Candles flouting in midair with an ever present light. The bewitched ceiling that looked like the night sky that was outside at that very moment. The four long tables that where filled with students from the four houses. And then finely the sorting hat at the front of the staff table.

"Before we enjoy our feast, we have two more to be sorted. For the first time in years, we have two transfers from our friends a crossed the pond." Dumbledore announced to the hall.

There was several whispers. It had been years since there had been any transfers. So long in fact, that no one could remember where the last ones came from. Professor McGonagall led the two to the stool and hat.

"Jackson Overland." She called.

Jack shuttered as he walked forward and sat on the stool. He slowly put the hat on his head. It covered his eyes so he couldn't see.

"Ah, one of the Guardians." The Hat said in his mind.

Jack jumped a bit, not expecting a voice.

"Hmm…you are most certainly are not a Ravenclaw. You have the Wit, but it ends there." the hat said.

 _'Gee thanks.'_ Jack thought feeling like the hat called him stupid.

"But you have a lot of Slytherin in you. The Resourcefulness, Cunning, and most of all your Ambition."

Jack tensed and his fingers gripped the bottom of the chair. He read in the book Eve had given him that Slytherin was the House that proposed the most bad witches and wizards.

"However, your cover story says you are a Muggle-born, therefore you cannot go into a house of blood prejudice." The Hat said with a hint of sadness.

Jack relaxed.

"The house that suits you fairly well is Hufflepuff. Your loyalty to your friends and family. Your hard work if you set your mind to it. And must of all, you want everything to be fair."

Jack smiled. This hat was pretty damn smart.

"But since you need to be with the one you are meant to protect the most. The house of the Brave, Chivalrous, and Nerve." The Hat paused. "I must place you in…GRYFFINDOR!"

Jack pulled the hat off with a relived expression as he ran over to the cheering table. He was pulled in a sat next to Hermione and was clapped on the back by the Weasley twins.

"Belleve Falls." McGonagall called.

Eve grimmest. _'Did she have to say my full name?'_ She walked up and sat on the stool. She put the hat on her head and waited.

"The other Guardian." The Hat said with a smile in his voice.

 _'Hello.'_ Eve thought.

"I think it is very obvious where to put you. Wouldn't you agree?" the Hat said. "GRYFFINDOR!"

Eve beamed and ran over to the cheering table and sat next to Jack.

 **Eve's Pov**

After the fest was over (Great food by the way), and lots of talk of how Harry Potter and his friend Ron Weasley had been expelled from Hogwarts, Hermione led us in silence to the Gryffindor tower. Hermione told us how upset she was. When we asked her why, she told us about the flying car that flew passed the Great Hall and how everyone was saying it was Harry and Ron. We then told her how when Snape led us up to the doors, that Harry and Ron where right there peeking in.

She shook her head. "They better not have gotten expelled. I want to kill them."

As we rounded a few corners Harry and Ron's scents grew stronger. Then soon I heard voices.

"Password?" asked a female voice.

"Er—" Harry's voice said as if not sure.

We soon rounded a corner and there they were staring at a portrait of a fat lady in pink. Hermione broke into a run so Jack and I followed. The two turned to face us.

"There you are! Where have you been?" Hermione said as we stopped in front of them. "The most _ridiculous_ rumors—someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying car—"

"Well, we haven't been expelled." Harry assured us, though I think it was more to Hermione then to Jack and myself.

"You're not telling me you did fly here?" Hermione said sounding like a stern mother.

"Give them a brake, Hermione. They've probably already got a lecture." Jack said shaking his head.

Ron pointed at Jack. "Thanks, mate. Now tell us the new password."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's 'Wattlebird,'" she said annoyed. "But that's not the point—"

But the moment the portrait swung open and the loud sound of clapping interrupted Hermione. It seemed all of Gryffindor was awake and in the common room. I cringed for a moment at the loud cheering and clapping.

"Brilliant!" a boy in the same year as Fred and George yelled. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years—"

Jack and I stepped to the far side and waited.

"Good for you." Said a random fifth year.

"Why couldn't we've come in car, eh?" Fred and George said.

I looked around and then saw Percy. "Uh oh, Jack." I said pointing at Percy who seemed to be trying to get Harry and Ron to yell at them.

Jack nodded and ran over to Harry and Ron without saying night to me, which was fine since we were keeping our cover.

"Hey, uh, Percy doesn't look happy." Jack said and pointed at Percy.

"Got to get upstairs—bit tired." Ron said as he, Harry, and Jack ran to the stairs.

"'Night." Harry called to Hermione who had the same scowl as Percy.

The boys disappeared up the stairs and into the boy's Dorms.

Hermione walked over to me. "Come on, Eve. I'll show you the girl's side, one of the rooms will have your stuff in it."


	7. Chapter Seven First Day

**Third Person Pov**

Eve and Hermione where already in the Great hall when Jack, Harry, and Ron got there. The ceiling was overcast as the boys sat down and saw Hermione had her Lockhart book, _Voyages with Vampires_ propped up against a milk jug.

"'Morning." Hermione said stiffly. She still didn't approve of how Harry and Ron arrived.

Eve rolled her eyes at Hermione's stubbornness as Neville walked over.

"Mail's due any minute—I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot." He said.

Harry had just started eating his porridge when Owls started flying in. Eve ignored them. A moment later she was sprayed with milk and feathers along with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Jack.

"Errol!" Ron said annoyed as he pulled the old Owl out of the milk jug.

"Poor guy. He needs a brake." Eve said then her eyes landed on the bright red letter in Errol's beak.

"Oh no—" Ron gasped.

"It's all right, he's still alive." Hermione said as she poked Errol.

"It's not that—it's that." Ron said pointing at the red letter. It didn't look any different then another letter to Harry, but Neville and Ron looked like they thought it would explode.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked.

"She's—she's sent me a Howler," Ron said faintly.

"You'd better open it, Ron." Neville said in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and,"—he gulped—"It was horrible."

Harry looked from their petrified faces then looked at letter. _'What could possibly be bad about a Howler?'_ "What's a Howler?" Harry asked.

But all of Ron's attention was on the letter, which had started to smoke at the corners.

Eve slowly covered her ears and motioned Jack to do the same.

"Open it," Neville urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes—"

Ron shakily and slowly pulled the letter from Errol's beak. He put it on the table and flicked it open. Neville had also plugged his ears. A second later Harry knew why and so did Jack. For a moment they thought it had exploded, as a loud sound filled the hall. But then it became clear what it was.

"— _ **STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE**_ —" Mrs. Weasley's yells where so loud that the table wears rattled. People in the hall turned wondering who had gotten the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his set that only his bright red forehead was visible. Eve was holding her ears so tight they turned red and her face was screwed up in pain. This was the one time she wished she didn't have cat hearing.

"— _ **LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED**_ —"

Harry was wondering when his name would make an appearance. He tried hard to ignore the voice that was killing his ears. Jack was in a state of awe and pain as he watched the letter that was forcing him to cover his ears.

"— _ **ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED—YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!**_ "

The ringing silence fell, much to Eve's relief; as she had sagged in her set. She opened her eyes and let go of her ears, leaving crescent moons on them from her finger nails.

The letter had burst in to flames and then curled to ashes. Harry, Ron, and Jack sat stunned, as if a bucket of frigid cold water was dumped on them, well hot water in Jack's case.

Hermione closed her book and looked down at Ron's head. "Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you—"

"Don't tell me I deserved it." Ron snapped at her.

Eve continued to munch on her bacon and toast as did Jack.

Harry pushed his porridge away. He burned with guilt. After all that the Weasleys had done for him over the summer…

He didn't have time to wallow in his thoughts; Professor McGonagall was handing out course schedules to the Gryffindors.

Eve took up hers. She saw that they had Double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs first.

Harry, Ron, Hermine, Eve, and Jack left the castle together, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses. At least Hermione was being friendly to Harry and Ron, thanks to the Howler.

As they drew near the greenhouses, they saw the rest of the class was standing outside waiting for Professor Sprout. The five had just joined their classmates when Sprout came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Lockhart. Sprout's arms were full of bandages. Eve tilted her head to the side to see that the Whomping Willow tree had several branches in slings.

Eve's eyes widened as she turn to Harry and Ron. "You two crashed into the Willow?"

Harry cringed with guilt. "Yeah we did."

Jack looked at it and cringed at the thought of the crash. "It must have hurt."

Ron nodded. "It attacked us too."

Eve nodded. "Yeah. I read somewhere that they do that when threated."

Hermione beamed at Eve. "I knew I'd like you."

Eve shook her head as Lockhart and Sprout made it over. Sprout's hair was in a lose bun under her hat and defiantly looked the part of a Herbology teacher. Lockhart on the other hand, was immaculate in turquoise robs and hat.

"Oh, hello there!" Lockhart called, beaming at the students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology then she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels…"

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" Sprout said looking rather irritated.

Everyone was wondering what was inside three. Sprout pulled out a large key from her belt and opened the doors. Eve sneezed the moment the scent of fertilizer and flowers hit her nose. She shook her head and rubbed her nose.

"You okay?" Ron asked.

"She has Allergies." Jack said automatically.

Eve sneezed again. "I hate you." She said to him, but thanked him in her mind for saying that.

"Are you going to be okay in there?" Hermione asked concerned.

"Yeah. I might sneeze a few times, but nothing else will happen." Eve said as she rubbed her nose again.

They walked in, but Harry was pulled back by Lockhart. Eve tuned out the conversation and focused on trying not to sneeze. She sneezed again, but this time she knew why. There where flowers in there the size of trumpets. She looked over and saw about twenty different colored earmuffs laid on a bench. After a few minutes, Harry came in and stood in-between Ron and Hermione.

"We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?" Sprout asked.

To no one's surprise Hermione's hand shot into the air, but so had Eve's.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," Hermione said, sounding like she had swallowed a textbook the night before. "It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor." Professor Sprout said. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

Jack was worried that Eve would burst if she didn't say, as her hand climbed higher up and she bounced on her heels. Hermione's hand shot up so fast, she nearly hit Harry's glasses. Sprout nodded to Eve.

"The Mandrake's Cry is deadly to anyone who hears it." Eve said as her and Hermione's hands lowered.

"Precisely. They aren't slaking across the pond, are they? Take another ten points for Gryffindor." Sprout said brightly.

Hermione beamed at Eve, as did a few other Gryffindors.

"Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young." Sprout said and pointed to a row of deep trays, and everyone got closer to see what these plants looked like.

Eve nodded as she sneezed again. They were definitely Mandrakes. Harry and Jack both thought that these purplish green plants looked unremarkable.

 _'What did Eve mean by Cry?'_ Jack wondered.

"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs." Sprout said.

At her words everyone was in a mad dash to grab a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered." Sprout said as she grabbed the pink fluffy earmuffs. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you a thumbs-up. Right—earmuffs _on_."

Eve popped the earmuffs on and was happy to find that they blocked out all sound. She turned to Jack to see him pat his once as if making sure they were on right. He felt weird having to wear them. He had seen kids wear them for cold protection, but he never needed them.

They turned to watch as Sprout put her pink ones on and roll up her sleeves. She then grasped a tufty plant firmly and pulled hard.

Jack gasped at the same time as Harry, but no one heard them.

Instead of roots, a small ugly, muddy and creepy baby popped out of the earth. The leaves, that Sprout had a hold of, were growing out of its head like funky hair. It had pale green skin and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.

Professor Sprout took out a large pot from under the table and plugged the Mandrake into it, burying it in the dark compost until only the leaves were visible. She then dusted off her hands, gave a thumbs up, and took off her own muffs.

Eve sneezed again as she took hers off and winced at the sudden sound of the world. Jack slid his on to his shoulders.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet." Sprout said as if she had only watered or weeded the garden. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, or first day here," she directed this last bit to Eve and Jack. "Make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up." She paused as if making sure they had listened. "Four to a tray—there is a large supply of pots here—compost in the snacks over there—and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething." She gave a sharp snap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw back it's feelers that had been inching over her shoulder.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione where joined by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy. Eve and Jack joined up with Seamus and Neville.

Eve could hear every conversation in the greenhouse, plus the plants that moved, it was hard to focus on the Mandrakes. She shuddered and sneezed.

"Are you okay, Eve?" Neville asked concerned.

"Allergies. I'll be fine." she said as she rubbed her nose. "It's just the flowers in here." She sneezed again and groaned.

They then popped their muffs on and they needed to focus on the Mandrakes. Eve grasped her Mandrake and junked hard. Hers came right out and she then struggled for a bit trying to get it to go into the bigger pot.

"Get in—you creepy—baby-drake!" she grunted as she struggled and finely did. She poured the compost into the pot and the Drake would grab it, throw it out and at Jack.

Jack was in the same boat, only the moment he touched his Mandrake it flat out refused to come out. He wasn't sure if it was his cold touch or it simply didn't want to leave its dirt. He could really care less at this point, after five minutes he looked around the room to make sure no one was looking and tapped the Mandrake. Frost spared on its leaves and down the steam. Then he pulled out a sleeping baby. That's when dirt, sticks and compost came flying at him. He lifted an arm trying and failing to block the other Mandrakes attacks.

"Stop! It's fine! It's just sleeping!" He yelled, but only the unmuffed Mandrakes could hear him and they didn't care.

Eve had finely managed to bury her Mandrake and turned to laugh as Jack was struggling to put his in the pot and block the attacks of the others at the same time.

By the time the class was over, everyone was sweaty, aching, covered in earth, and (in Jack's case) twigs. They all traipsed back to the castle to have a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration, the class Eve said Jack should excel in.

McGonagall had assigned them the task of turning beetles into buttons. Eve and Hermione where the best, they transformed four beetles into buttons. Jack smiled. Eve was right, he didn't need much improvement in Transfiguration. He managed to turn two into buttons and one half way, so it looked like a button with antenna, legs, and wings.

However, Harry and Ron had no such luck. Over the summer, the information seemed to have leaked out of Harry's head. All he managed to do was give his beetle a lot of exercise as it ran around his desk to avoid his wand. Ron was having even worse luck. He had fixed his wand with Spellotape, but it was clearly unfixable. It kept crackling and sparking at odd times, and every time Ron tried to transfigure his beetle it engulfed him in a thick cloud of gray smoke that smelled of suffer. He was unable to see what he was doing and squished his beetle by accident. McGonagall was not pleased when he asked for another one.

Harry was relieved to hear the lunch bell. They all filed out as Ron whacked his wand on his desk. "Stupid—useless—thing—"

"Write home for another one." Harry suggested as the wand let out a volley of bangs like a firecracker, making Eve jump and her hair rise a bit.

"Oh, yeah, and get another Howler back." Ron said as he shoved the hissing wand into his bag. " _'It's your own fault your wand got snapped_ —'"

"Well, think about it this way, It couldn't get worse." Jack said trying and failing to make Ron feel better.

 **Eve's Pov**

We went down to lunch and Ron's mood hadn't changed. So Hermione and I showed them the perfect set of buttons we had made in Transfiguration. Jack smiled and showed us his.

 _'I knew it!'_ I thought happily as I looked at the set of half beetle-half button in his hand.

"What've we got this afternoon?" Harry asked changing the subject.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione and I said, but she sounded excited where I sounded annoyed.

" _Why_ ," Ron demanded grabbing Hermione's schedule. "Have you out lined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?"

"What?" I asked trying to get a look, but Ron was a bit taller than me so it was hard.

Hermione snatched the schedule back with a bright blush to her cheeks. We finished lunch and headed out to the overcast court yard.

Hermione grabbed my bag and reached in side. "I'm going to make you read a Lockhart book if it's the last thing I do." She said and pulled out the Idiot's _Holidays with Hags_.

"Hermione, I've read them already and I know I don't like them. Or him for that matter." I said taking the book and bag back.

She sat on the stairs and pulled out her _Voyages with Vampires_. That's when Harry and Ron started to talk about Quidditch. I shoved the book in my bag and leaped into the conversion, saying how I was a fair flyer myself and then Jack joined in too. Hermione had rolled her eyes at us as she opened her book. We talked for a while, that is until I got the distinct feeling we were being watched.

We looked over to see a mouse haired boy clutching a Muggle camera was looking at us transfixed. The second Harry looked at him, he flushed a bright red.

"All right, Harry? I'm—I'm Colin Creevey." He said taking a tentative step forward like as if he couldn't believe he was in Harry's presents. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think—would it be all right if—can I have a picture?" Colin said raising the camera hopefully.

"A picture?" Harry repeated blankly.

"So I can prove I've met you." Colin said eagerly. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead" (His eyes shot to Harry's hair line.) "And a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll _move_." He drew in a breath since he had not stopped talking long enough to breath. "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got my letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you" he look earnestly at Harry. "Maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"

I smiled. Colin was so adorable. You could practically read his mind by the look on his face. 'You're my Hero!' was what think he was thinking.

" _Signed photos?_ You're giving out signed photos, Potter?" Malfoy's loud scathing voice echoed into my ears.

My smile dropped and was replaced by a look of annoyance.

Malfoy and his cronies walked right up behind Coin and the urge to pull him to me so I could hit him hit.

"Everyone line up!" Malfoy yelled to the crowd. "Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"

"No, I'm not." Harry said angrily as his fist clenched. "Shut up, Malfoy."

"You're just jealous." Colin pipped up and I swear I saw Jack step up behind Colin as if to show that he would keep him safe.

" _Jealous?_ " Malfoy said, he didn't need to shout anymore, the courtyard was listening to every word. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right a crossed my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

Crabbe and Goyle laughed.

I stepped forward. "How would you like it if one night someone broke into your home and killed your family then tried to kill you? Huh? You'd be lucky to survive with a scar if Voldemort decided to kill you!" I found myself being held back by both Jack and Ron.

"Do all Americans have bad tempers, or is it just girls?" Malfoy asked mockingly.

I struggled to get at him, my face a bright red. I was pretty sure I looked like a pissed off Tinkerbelle.

"Eat slugs, Malfoy." Ron said as he let go of me.

"Be careful, Weasley." Malfoy sneered. "You don't want to start any trouble or your mummy'll have to come and take you away from school." He put on a shrill voice that hurt my ears. " _If you put anther toe out of line_ —"

I looked up to see a bunch of Slytherin Fifth years had gathered and where laughing.

"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter." Malfoy smirked. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house—"

I felt like I really wanted to scratch his eyes out with my bare hands.

"Eve, calm down. He's not worth it." Jack whispered in my ear trying to make my anger subside.

Ron had whipped out his broken wand, which made me panic, but before Ron could say a single spell, Hermione shut her book and whispered. "Look out!"

"What's all this, what's all this?" Lockhart's voice called and the calm I had gained was replaced by annoyance. He strode toward us, his robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?"

Harry started to speak, but Lockhart wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Should've asked! We meet again, Harry!"

I turned to see that Malfoy was smirking then I looked back at Harry who looked beyond embarrassed.

"Come on then, Mr. Creevey." Lockhart said beaming at Colin. "A double portrait, can't do better than that, and we'll both sign it for you."

Colin fumbled with his camera and snapped a photo as the bell rang. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Off you go, move along." Lockhart called to the crowd and set off back in the castle with Harry still clasped to his side.

"A word to the wise, Harry." Lockhart said as we entered. "I covered up for you back there with young Creevey—if he was Photographing me, too, your classmates won't think you're setting yourself up so much."

Jack, Ron, Hermione and I walked with them so we would get to class on time. I felt really bad for Harry, Lockhart was ignoring all of his stammers to try and tell him what had happened.

"Let me just say that handing out signed pictures at this stage of your career isn't sensible—looks a tad bigheaded, Harry, to be frank." Lockhart said.

I rolled my eyes. _'And you're not at all.'_ I thought bitterly.

"There may well come a time when, like me, you'll need to keep a stack handy wherever you go, but," Lockhart chortled. "I don't think you're quite there yet."

I looked up and thank the goddess we reached the class, now I just have to sit through Lockhart talking than we are free. He also let go of Harry.

Harry yanked his robes straight and took a set at the very back of the class and put all the Lockhart books in front of himself so he wouldn't have to look at him. I smiled because that's the same thing I was doing. The five of us (Harry, Ron, Hermione, Jack, and I) sat in the back in the same row. Ron and Hermione sat on either side of Harry. Jack sat next to Hermione and I sat next to Ron.

"You could've fried an egg on your face." Ron said. "You'd better hope Creevey doesn't meet Ginny, or they'll be starting a Harry Potter fan club."

"Shup up." Harry snapped.

Once everyone was seated Lockhart cleared his throat and took hold of Neville's copy of _Travels with Trolls_ , held it up for all to see and pointed at the photo of himself.

"Me." He said and winked with the photo. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of _Witch Weekly's_ Most-Charming-Smile Award—but I don't want to talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by _smiling_ at her!"

He waited for laugher, but only got weak smiles. I was shaking my head. _'Please get on with it!'_ I thought desperately.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books—well done. I thought we'd start with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about—just to check how well you've read them, how much you you've taken in—"

He walked around and passed out the papers. When he returned to the front he turned to face us and grabbed an hourglass. "You have thirty minutes—start—now!" he said as he flipped the hourglass over and the sand started running.

I looked down and rubbed my eyes thinking maybe I read them wrong, but I hadn't.

 _1\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?_

 _2\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's Secret ambition?_

 _3\. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?_

I flipped through the three pages, front and back finding nothing asking what spells you know or what not. I looked down the row to see Jack having this shocked expression. I turned back to my paper and grabbed a quill and began to guess.

 _1\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color? Whatever color his mood is._

 _2\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's Secret ambition? To be immortalized in as many portraits as possible._

 _3\. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date? Order of Merlin, Third Class. That is hard to get. Unless he cheated somehow._

I kept guessing to the end. Half an hour later, Lockhart collected all the papers and rifled through them. "Tut, tut—hardy any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac."

It took all my willpower not to start laughing right there and then.

"I say so in _Year with the Yeti_. And few of you need to read _Wanderings with Werewolves_ more carefully—I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples—Though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky!"

By this point I was shaking with my suppressed laughter. I didn't dare look at my friends incase their faces send me into hysterics.

"…but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions—good girl! In fact," he said as he flipped her paper over. "Full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"

I had finely calmed enough to look over at Hermione, who raised a trembling hand, clearly on the verge of a fangirl attack.

"Excellent!" Lockhart beamed. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so—to business—" He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large red cloth covered cage. He put it on the desk. "Now—be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

Through the corner of my eye I saw Harry lean over to get a better view of the cage. I could hear tiny voices coming from it, but it was broken English.

Lockhart put a hand on the cover and turned to look at us. Seamus and Dean had stopped laughing. Neville was cowering in his set.

"I must ask you not to scream," Lockhart said in a low voice like what was in the cage was the most terrifying thing in the world and was very dangerous. "It might provoke them."

We all held our breath, then Lockhart whipped off the cover and felt laughter bubbling up.

"Yes," Lockhart said dramatically. " _Freshly caught Cornish pixies_."

I couldn't hold it in any more. I laughed, well, cackled more like. It was loud and I wasn't the least bit embarrassed when I was given strange looks. Thankfully I wasn't the only one who had laughed. Seamus was laughing too.

Lockhart looked at us both. "Yes?" he asked Seamus first.

"Well, they're not—they're not very—dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.

I calmed down and then a thought struck me. _'Oh please don't let them out. They are a pain!'_

"Don't be so sure!" Lockhart said wiggling a finger, me, the cackling American forgotten. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"

I looked at the cage with worry. The little blue pixies looked really creepy and ready to bust out. _'Please don't let them out.'_ I begged silently.

"Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!"

"NO!" I yelled.

Too late, he had opened the cage and all the pixies shot out of the cage and in random directions like rockets. Two grabbed Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. The pixies where doing anything and everything possible to cause damage and be a general pain. I looked up to see Neville swaying from the chandelier.

"Come on now—round them up, round them up, they're only pixies!" Lockhart shouted. He rolled up his sleeves and drew his wand. " _Peskipksi Pesernomi_!"

 _'What?! That's not even a real spell!'_ I thought angrily as a pixie grabbed my hair.

Lockhart's wand was taken way a split second later and he ducked under his desk, like a coward, but he did avoid being crushed by Neville as the chandelier gave way.

The bell rang and there was a mad dash for the door. You'd think since the five of us where in the back row, we'd get out first. Nope.

"Well, I'll ask you five to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." Lockhart said and shoved passed us and shut us in the room with the damn pixies.

"Can you _believe_ him?" Ron roared as pixies bit him on the ear.

"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," Hermione said then pointed her wand at two pixies. " _Immobulus_." They froze in place she then grabbed them and shoved them back in their cage.

" _Hands-on_?" Jack asked as he hit one with a book and sent it flying into the cage.

"Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing—" Harry tried to grab a pixie, but it flew out of reach.

"He used a fake spell!" I said then pointed my own wand at some pixies. " _Immobulus_." They froze and I smacked them back into the cage.

"Rubbish," Hermione said. "You've read his books—look at all those amazing things he's done—"

"He says he's done." Ron muttered.

 _'Took the words right out of my mouth, Ron.'_ I thought.


	8. Chapter Eight Quidditch Tryouts

**Jack's Pov**

I walked into the great hall to find Eve with the biggest smile and she was holding her broom. "Why do you have your broom?" I asked.

"Harry said that Quidditch tryouts are today, Katie Bell is taking a break this year." She looked around then leaned close to my ear. "Plus, what better way to keep an eye on Harry then be on the team." She pulled away.

"So you're trying out?" I asked smiling. She'd whip the floor with everyone who would try.

"Well, yeah. You probably want to try too." She said as we took our sets next to Hermione.

"If I had a broom maybe." I said and grabbed some bacon.

"I'm surprised that you are trying out." Hermione said as she mixed honey in her porridge. "I didn't think you the flying type."

Eve smiled. "Never judge a book by its cover." She sighed. "I love flying. Prefect freedom."

 **Third Person Pov**

The Quidditch Pitch had several Gryffindors standing with brooms waiting for Oliver Wood to tell them who was trying out first.

"One of our Chasers, Katie Bell, is taking a break this year to focus on her studies. She'll be back next year, so whoever gets the spot, next year will be a sub in case of injuries." Oliver said as he stood strait and looked at everyone who were trying out. "Now, let's begin."

Jack, Hermione, and Ron sat in the stands watching with excitement and curiosity. After eight people tried out a where ether really bad or descent, Eve griped her broom and stepped forward.

She mounted her broom and pushed off. As soon as she was in the air, the tryout game began. She caught the Quaffle and flew, leaning into her broomstick and zoomed at the hoops. Alicia Spinnet flew at her and tried to play tag team with Angelina Johnson, raptor style.

Eve beamed as she tighten her hold on the Quaffle and leaned to the left. She immediately began to do a cork screw to the hoops. She heard a yell of shock and then threw the Quaffle at the middle hoop as she came out of the screw and zoomed straight up to hover just above the hoops. Doing this gave a bit of a spin on the Quaffle and Oliver missed blocking it.

After four successful shots, Oliver declared that the one who made the team would be posted that after noon.

 **Eve's Pov**

After I met up with Hermione, Ron, Jack, and Harry we sat in the Great Hall for lunch.

"Where did you learn to fly like that?" Ron asked with his mouth full of chicken.

I smiled. "I didn't really. I just picked up N-my broom and it just felt…natural." I said. It was a half-truth.

Harry smiled. "You were very good. You'll get on the team. I know it." He said encouragingly.

"You think?" I asked taking a bite of my toast.

"Definitely. I've never seen anyone in Quidditch do a cork screw with the control you showed." Harry said brightly.

As we entered the common room we saw a big crowd gathered around the Announcement board.

"It must be the Quidditch results." Ron said.

Jack clapped his hands together and rubbed them. "I'm going in." He said and rushed forward.

After he disappeared for a few moments, he came running out again rubbing his arm and he looked super disappointed. "Okay, I have some bad news."

Disappointment filled me.

Jack then smirked. "Eve's on the team." He then laughed and pointed at me.

"That was so not funny." I said crossing my arms.

Then Harry and Ron joined in to the laughter, then Hermione, and then I finely joined in.

"You should've seen your face!" Jack said.

I smiled at Jack but when no one was looking I gave him a quick glare so he knew we would be talking later. Speaking of witch, I wanted to get him alone so I could pick his brain. But how could I get him alone without people being suspicious. Then I had an idea I smiled my normal smile and I asked really casually.

"Jack. I found the reference to Salem in one of the history books in the library. You and I were talking about it when we were waiting for the train. It is really cool. Next time you're in the library remind me and I will show you." I saw Oliver Wood in the corner and I wanted to talk to him about the team so I gave him a little wave and then smiled back at Jack. "See you later."

I think Jack got the meaning and gave me a head nod "Wicked! I'll remind you later."

As I moved away I heard Hermione Ask Jack, what was the reference he was looking for. He mutter something about the different forms of the trials that were used. I sighed softly because I didn't want Hermione to look to deeply into the cases. I never found any reference to my name at Ilvermorny. But I really was not sure about Hogwarts reference books. I was kicking myself a little but figured I will cross that bridge when I come to it and if I have to.

After our last class I headed over to the Library and I saw Jack in a corner reading. I went to the history section and I looked to see if they did have a book on Salem and there was a little about Ilvermorny in a reference book on the other schools. It just had a page or two on Salem and I figured that was good enough for me to show anyone that came over to us.

"Jack. They don't have much on it here but I found this." I sat next to him and opened the book on the table in front of us. I took out a parchment and a quill and acted like I was taking notes as I whispered. "So far everything seems good. I have not seen anyone other than that prat Malfoy."

Jack tipped up the book so it looked like he was getting a better look at it and whispered back. "Yeah. I don't have a vibe from any of the teachers. Snape seems to not like him but it is not malice, just dislike. I don't think he would ever hurt him."

I nodded and looked up like I was thinking, tapping the quill to my forehead softly. "He has good friends around him. I think Ron and Hermione would do anything for him and he for them. There is true friendship there."

Jack pointed to something random in the book and taped my parchment. "I want to be able to hold you so bad. Can't we fly up to the roof and watch the stars for a bit?"

I lightly smacked him on the back of the head and put my parchment in my bag. "I know. I miss you too. Soon. We need to be sure no one would see us. How about you do some night scouting. Just remember, before you ride the wind, people can see you. "

He closed the book and gave it to me with his usual little smile and shrugged.

I knew that smile and I shook my head as I took the book and walked away giving him a soft snorting laugh. He would not get caught. He was quicker than anyone on a broom and he didn't use one so it was easier to duck behind things and hide. Then I thought of something and turned back. "Oh and I heard of a ghost named Peeves. So watch out for him. He can be nasty."

Jack gave me a little finger salute off the side of his head and went back to his homework.


	9. Chapter Nine Mudbloods and Murmurs

**Eve's Pov**

I felt someone shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes sleepily to see Angelina in her Quidditch robs.

"Eve, we have practice." She said.

I blinked. _'What?'_ my eyes widened as I looked out the window. I could see the pink sky and a light mist on the grounds. "Do you always practice this early?" I asked as she handed me my Quidditch robes.

She yawned. "Not always." She said as I walked into the bathroom to change and brush my hair into a tight ponytail.

I grabbed Nyx and followed Angelina to the Quidditch field. As we entered Angelina yawned again and walked over to Alicia who was also yawned. I noted how no one, except Oliver and me, was really awake. Fred and George where puffy eyed and they looked like they hadn't ran a brush through their hair. Then Harry walked in, he looked a bit more awake than the others.

"There you are, Harry, what kept you?" Oliver said briskly. "Now, I wanted a quick word with you all before we actually get onto the field, because I spent the summer devising a whole new training program, which I really think will make all the difference…"

He held up a diagram of the field. I blinked, it looked like a game plan. He then pulled out his wand and tapped the diagram. The arrows started to move as he launched into a long speech about the plan. Through the corner of my eye I saw Fred's head fall back on his chair.

I really did try to pay attention to the plan, but I zoned in and out. I kept thinking about if Jack had found somewhere for us to just be ourselves, not a pair of twelve year olds who were friends. I could see us holding each other and watching the stars…

"So," Oliver said as I came back to focusing. "Is that clear? Any Questions?"

I blinked. _'How badly had I zoned out?'_

"I've got a question, Oliver." George said. "Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?"

Oliver wasn't pleased. "Now listen here, you lot." He said glaring at us all, which made me worried, I was new. What could I have done to make him angry at me? "We should have won the Quidditch Cup last year. We were easily the best. But unfortunately—owing to circumstances beyond our control—"

I felt Harry stiffen next to me. I looked over to see the shame on his face. I wondered what had happened.

I turned back to Oliver to see him calming himself. Clearly whatever happened, still haunted him. "So this year, we train harder than ever before…Okay, let's go and put our new theories into practice and train our new Chaser!" He yelled making me jump. He grabbed his broom and led us all to the field.

When we got out side I was shocked at how long we were in there. The sun was now up completely. I turned and saw Hermione, Jack, and Ron sitting in the stands. I smiled at how Ron and Hermione wore scarfs and how Jack wasn't.

"Aren't you finished yet?" Ron called down to us incredulously.

"Haven't even started." Harry said from next to me. I saw a look of jealousy on his face, and I knew why. I could smell the toast from here. "Wood's been teaching us new moves."

I nodded as I mounted my broom and kicked off from the ground. I sored into the air. I laughed, the feeling of the wind in my hair and the pure freedom that I always had when flying. I let myself fall into a dive then pulled out at the last second. Then a clicking sound filled my ears. I turned to see Colin snapping photos.

"What's that funny clicking noise?" I heard Fred ask.

I turned and flew over to them.

"Look this way, Harry! This way!" Colin yelled shrilly, it made my ears hurt a little.

"Who's that?" Fred asked.

"No idea." Harry said and flew off to get away from Colin.

I couldn't blame him. Colin was almost stocking him.

"What's going on?" I turned to see Oliver flying to us. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training program."

I rolled my eyes. _'How would they even find out that we had this new Training program?'_

"He's in Gryffindor." Harry said quietly.

"And the Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver." George said.

I turned and groaned.

"What makes you say that?" Oliver asked testily.

"They're here." I said and pointed down at the green robed people.

"I don't believe it!" Oliver murmured outraged. "I booked the field for today! We'll see about this!" He shot at the ground and hit it harder then he meant to, but he didn't seem to care. We followed and land a bit better than he did.

"Flint!" Oliver bellowed at the Slytherin captain I assume. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"

I swear Flint was half troll with the look he had. "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."

Angelina and Alicia came over to see what was going on.

"But I booked the field!" Oliver nearly spat. "I booked it!"

"Ah," Flint mused. "But I've got a signed note from Professor Snape." He pulled out a scrolled and started to read. " _I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker._ "

My eyebrows rose. I couldn't recall the Slytherin's holding tryouts.

"You've got a new Seeker?" Oliver asked distracted. "Where?"

We watched as the Slytherin team parted to reveal, Malfoy.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's Son?" Fred said looking at him with dislike.

"Funny you should mention Draco's Father." Flint said as he and the whole Slytherin team smiled even more. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."

The entire team hefted their brooms. For a moment I didn't get it. _'So they really like polishing their brooms.'_ But then I really looked at the brooms. In gold lettering on the sides of all of them read: Nimbus Two Thousand and One. Nyx was fast if I put all my willpower in her, but those brooms would certainly pose a challenge.

"Very latest model. Only came out last month." Flint said carelessly, like it was just an old toy he had had for years. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps," He grinned slyly at Fred and George, who were clutching their Cleansweep fives. "Sweeps the board with them."

I clutched Nyx and I swear if any one payed enough attention to her, they'd see the very slight glow of the spirals.

Flint then looked to the side. "Oh, look. A field invasion."

I turned to see Hermione, Ron, and Jack crossing the grass to see what was going on.

"What's happening?" Ron asked Harry. "Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?"

I turned back to glare at Malfoy.

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley." Malfoy said smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."

Ron looked shocked.

"Good, aren't they?" Malfoy said smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep fives; I expect a museum would bid for them."

The Slytherins howled with laughter.

My hands tightened on my broom.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," Hermione said sharply and crossed her arms. "They got in on pure talent."

"Besides," I said joining in. "I think you're all compensating for something."

Malfoy's smugness wavered. "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudbloods." He spat.

I saw red as I tried to rush at him, but felt cold arms grab me from behind and knew Jack was holding me back. Flint stepped in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George from getting at him.

"How dare you!" Alicia shrieked.

I stopped fighting Jack to see Ron pull out his wand. "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" He yelled as he pointed the wand under Flint's arm an at Malfoy's face.

A loud bang like a gun going off echoed and bright green light shot out the wrong end and hit Ron in the stomach, launching him backward. We rushed over to him.

"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" Hermione asked worriedly.

Ron opened his mouth to say something, but instead he vomited up several slugs into his lap.

I could hear the Slytherins laughing as Ron kept vomiting slugs.

"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest." Harry said to us.

Hermione and Harry grabbed Ron by the arms and Jack and I drew our wands to levitate the slugs away.

"What happened, Harry? What happened? Is he ill? But you can cure him, can't you?" Colin asked as he ran up and hoped sidewise beside us as we walked.

Ron heaved another bout of slugs. I waved my wand. " _Wingardium Leviosa._ " I muttered and the slugs followed my wand to the grass.

"Oooh." Colin said fascinated and raised his camera. "Can you hold him still, Harry?" He asked.

"Get out of the way, Colin!" Harry said angrily.

The five of us went across the stadium and to the edge of the forest.

"Nearly there, Ron." Hermione said as Hagrid's hut came into view. "You'll be all right in a minute—almost there—"

Jack waved his wand and sent some slugs away. We were twenty feet from the hut, when I smelled Lockhart. I looked up as the front door open and Lockhart walked out.

"Quick, behind here." Harry hissed to us, dragging Ron into a nearby bush.

Jack and I didn't hesitate, but Hermione did, she followed.

We peered through the cracks of the bush to see Lockhart turn to look back. "It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing!" said loudly to Hagrid. "If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one—I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, good-bye!" then he strode back to the castle.

 **Third person pov**

They waited until Lockhart to leave. Then Harry grabbed Ron and ran up to the door. As the other's joined him, he knocked on the door.

Hagrid opened the door and looked pretty cross, but he brightened when he saw them. "Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me—come in, come in—thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again—"

Harry and Hermione supported Ron inside as Jack and Eve followed. The inside was a one-roomed cabin with a huge bed on one side and crackling fire on the other. Eve looked around the small hut with awe.

Even though her ears were human, she could feel them twitch as they tried to turn at every little sound she heard. She could hear something moving under the chairs and table, then behind the books. And the smells! She was taking in such deep breaths to try and filter it all. She felt a cold finger on the underside of her chin pushing up to close her mouth. She blushed when she realized that she was breathing in through her mouth to try and use her tongue to filter the smells like a normal cat. She only hoped that the others thought she was staring in amazement at the amount of stuff that was crammed into the little hut. All of the furniture was sized to Hagrid so it just looked huge to her. The books on the shelves were normal sized books, but the dishes were sized for Hagrid's larger hands. One thing did stand out, it was very clean. Cluttered with stuff, but there was no dust on things or dirt on the floor.

Harry was quick to explain to Hagrid what happened to Ron, as he lowered him into a chair.

"Better out then in," Hagrid said as he picked up a large copper basin in front of Ron. "Get 'em all up, Ron."

Jack was looking around the hut with a childlike glee. A big smile as he stealthily opened pots and the tea kettle, Eve, however, properly smacked him on the back of his head as he was poking at a half plucked rooster.

He turned to Eve with a 'What?' expression.

Eve rolled her eyes. "Where are your manners? Quite snooping." She whisper/yelled. As she kept trying to get behind him and the other corner of the room.

Jack rolled his eyes.

"I don't think there's anything to do except wait for it to stop." Hermione said anxiously while watching Ron bend over the basin. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand—"

Eve was staying behind Jack and fighting her cat instincts to go somewhere high. The Boarhound, Fang was slobbering over Harry and, thankfully, not barking or growling at her. Jack finally noticed and leaned against the table so Eve could stand to the side of him and see the others but Jack was between her and the dog whose head was 3 times the size of hers.

Hagrid was making tea, When Harry broke the light silence. "What did Lockhart want with you, Hagrid?" he asked as he scratched behind Fang's ears.

"Givin' me advice on getting' Kelpies out of a well." Hagrid growled, moving a half plucked rooster off the table and set the tea pot down. "Like I don' know. An' bangin' on about some Banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."

Eve nodded agreeing with him and saw the look of surprise on Harry's face. She then got the distant feeling that this was unlike Hagrid to criticize a teacher, no matter how bad they seem.

Hermione, however, spoke up with a slightly higher voice than usual. "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job—"

"He was the _on'y_ man for the job." Hagrid said while he offered them Treacle fudge while Ron vomited some slugs into the basin. "An' I mean the _on'y_ one. Getting' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're startin' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now. So tell me," Hagrid said and jerked his head at Ron. "Who was he tryin' ter curse?"

"Malfoy called Eve and Hermione something—it must've been really bad, because everyone went wild." Harry said.

"It was bad," Ron said and as he looked up and over the table. He was sweating and looked a sickly pale green. "Malfoy called them 'Mudblood,' Hagrid—" he dove out of sight as he vomited more slugs.

Hagrid looked outraged. "He didn'!"

"He did." Hermione said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course—"

"It's about the most insulting thing he could think of—" Ron gasped coming back up. "Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born—you know, non-magic parents. There are some wizards—like Malfoy's family—who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood." He belched and a single slug came out. He put it the basin with the rest, then continued. "I mean, the rest of us know it doesn't make any difference at all. Look at Neville Longbottom—He's pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up."

"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can' do." Hagrid said proudly making Hermione blush.

"It's a disgusting thing to say to anyone." Eve said gripping Nyx.

Ron nodded as he wiped his mouth. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn't married Muggles we've died out." Then he retched and ducked out of sight.

"Well, I don' blame yeh fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron" Hagrid said loudly over the sound of slugs hitting metal. "Bu' maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. 'Spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter the school if yeh'd cursed his son. Least yer not in trouble."

Harry was going to say that trouble was better than having slugs pureeing out your mouth, but couldn't; Hagrid's fudge had cemented his jaws together.

Eve was wondering why Jack hadn't said a wise-crack, but then she looked and saw him having trouble with the fudge. Jack's jaws was also sealed together and he could hear Tooth now: "What have you done!?" She coughed softly and turned her head so Jack would not see her laugh. But when she looked back up he was looking at her with narrowed eyes. It was all she could do not to laugh out loud but she didn't want to offend Hagrid.

"Eve," Hermione said grabbing Eve's attention. "Why would Malfoy call you a Mudblood?"

Eve sighed. "I'm a Muggle-born too. Most of the student body at Ilvermorny are."

Hermione looked to Jack, who finely managed to pull his jaw open. "Eve's right. Blood pedigrees doesn't really show up there. When it does, no one really cares." He said remembering what Eve had told him about the school.

"Harry," Hagrid said pulling everyone's attention. "Gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I've heard you've bin givin' out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"

Harry, furious, wrenched his teeth apart. "I have _not_ been giving out signed photos," He said hotly. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around—" But then he saw that Hagrid was laughing.

"I'm on'y jokin'." Hagrid said and patted Harry on the back and sent him face first into the table. "I knew yeh hadn't really. I told Lockhart yeh didn' need ter. Yer more famous then him without tryin'."

"Bet he didn't like that." Harry said sitting up and rubbing his chin.

"Don' think he did." Hagrid said, his eyes twinkling. "An' then I told him I'd never read one o' his books an' he decided ter go. Treacle Fudge, Ron?" Hagrid added as Ron stood up again looking even greener.

"No thanks." Ron said weakly. "Better not risk it."

Eve felt really bad for Ron. Not even her green magic could help here.

"Come an' see what I've bin growin'" Hagrid said as Harry, Hermione and Eve fished their tea.

In the small vegetable patch behind Hagrid's hut were a dozen of the largest pumpkins they had ever seen. Well, Harry, Ron and Hermione had ever seen. Jack and Eve over the centuries had seen ones that where the size of boulders at fairs in the US, just like these ones.

"Getting' on well, aren't they?" Hagrid said happily. "Fer the Halloween feast…should be big enough by then."

"What've you been feeding them?" Harry asked in shock.

Eve found herself running a hand on one and green sparked on her fingertips. She forced the green magic to subside. She could feel the magic in them.

Hagrid looked over his shoulder to see if they were alone. "Well, I've bin givin' them—you know—a bit o' help—"

Jack saw a pink umbrella and wondered why Hagrid had it.

Eve smiled. "I'll bet it's an Engorgement Charm or a Portion of some kind." She said with intrigue.

"Well, you've done a good job on them." Hermione said, like she was amused and disapproved.

"That's what yer little sister said." Hagrid said nodding at Ron. "Met her jus' yesterday." Hagrid looked sideways at Harry, his beard twitching. "Said she was jus' lookin' round the grounds, but I reckon she was hopin' she might run inter someone else at my house." He winked at Harry. "If yeh ask me, she wouldn' say no ter a signed—"

"Oh, Shut up." Harry interrupted.

Jack and Ron snorted with laughter, but then Ron vomited up several slugs.

"Watch it!" Hagrid roared, pulling Ron away from his pumpkins.

 **Eve's pov**

Since lunch was coming up, we said our good-byes to Hagrid and headed up to the castle. I, unlike Harry, hadn't eaten the Treacle Fudge, I'm not a big fan of fudge. So I was hungry, I mean sure I don't need to eat, but it's mostly for appearances and I noticed that I was a little hungry.

Ron hiccupped only two very small slugs up.

"At least it's ending, Ron." I said feeling sorry for him.

He gave a weak groan. "Yeah it is."

We had barely stepped foot in the entrance hall, when a voice rang out. "There you are, Potter—Weasley."

We turned to see Professor McGonagall walking towered us, she was looking pretty stern. "You will both do your detentions this evening."

Ron looked nervous. "What're we doing, Professor?"

" _You_ will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch," McGonagall said. "And no magic, Weasley—Elbow grease."

Ron gulped. I hadn't had the pleasure of meeting Filch yet, but I didn't really want to with what Harry, Ron, and Hermione told us.

"And you, Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail." McGonagall said.

My eyes went to the size of the moon. _'Oh goddess, Harry. I'm so sorry.'_

"Oh n—Professor, can't I go and do the trophy room too?" Harry asked desperately.

"Certainly not," McGonagall said with a raised eyebrow. "Professor Lockhart requested you particularly. Eight o'clock sharp, both of you."

As we walked to the Great Hall, Harry and Ron slouched in, I couldn't blame them. Hermione was wearing a Well-you-did-break-school-rules expression.

It seemed Harry wasn't enjoying his Shepherd's Pie, He and Ron weren't happy about their ends of the deal.

"Filch'll have me there all night," Ron said heavily. "No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I'm no good at Muggle cleaning."

"I'd swap anytime," Harry said hollowly. "I've had loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering Lockhart's fan mail…he'll be a nightmare…"

"This sounds like a bad game of 'Would-you-rather'." Jack said as he took a bite of chicken. "Would you rather, Have detention with Filch cleaning and polishing trophies without magic, Or with Lockhart answering fan mail? I know what I'd pick." He said.

I nodded. "I'd clean a million trophies without magic so I wouldn't have to deal with Lockhart." I said as I ate a spoon full of Buttered Peas.

Hermione shook her head. "I still don't see what you have against him, Eve."

After lunch, I went back to the dorm and changed into some casual clothes, left Nyx by my trunk and joined Jack in the common room. It was surprisingly empty.

"Eve, I found a place." He whispered as I sat next to him by the window.

I beamed. "Really? Where?" I asked feeling giddy at being able to be me.

"The roof of the Astronomy tower. It's perfect." He said and looked like he was just as excited as I was.

Soon it was evening and I looked around to dorm to see that everyone was asleep. I grabbed Nyx and tip-toed to the window. I took one last look to make sure that they were asleep, then opened the window, mounted my broom and pushed off into the inky black sky. It felt wonderful to feel the cold night air on my face. I then flew and landed on the roof of the Astronomy tower. Jack was right about it being perfect. The view was beautiful. The stars, the moon, and the lake.

It was getting really late and I was beginning to worry, until the wind changed and Jack landed next to me. I stood and hugged him as tight as I could. "You're late." I whispered in his ear.

"Harry and Ron got back." He said back as we pulled apart.

"How are they? Was working with Lockhart as bad as I thought?" I asked jokingly, but he didn't laugh. "What is it?" I asked as we sat down.

"Harry said he heard a voice in detention. It might be nothing, but I don't think it is." Jack said gripping his staff at its real size.

I thought about it. "What did Harry say that the voice said?"

"He said it said and I quote, 'Come, come to me, let me rip you. Let me tear you, let me kill you.' It doesn't sound good." He said.

I cringed. "You're right. That doesn't sound good at all." I said shaking my head.

"It's gets worse, Eve. Harry was the only one to hear it." Jack said looking very worried.

My eyes widened. "Are you sure?" I asked then shook my head. "Of course you're sure."

"I thought you had faith in me." He said as he held me close.

I smiled. "Of course I do." I looked at the sky and sighed. "I missed this." I said.

He chuckled. "Me too. Pretending to be Twelve and not have feelings for each other is hard." He then kissed my head. "I also miss your tail and ears."

I snorted. "Really?"

"Yeah, you look adorable with them." He said smiling.

"Oh, and without them?" I asked teasingly.

"Beautiful. It doesn't matter what form you take, how old you look, or what you look like, you're always beautiful in my eyes." He said and gave a light squeeze.

"That was cheesy, but very romantic." I said and returned the gesture.


	10. Chapter Ten The Deathday Party

**Jack's Pov**

October finally came, which meant that the snow that I should be delivering, will come soon. Sandy told us in his last letter that they have Snow Queen, Yuki-onna, and a few minor winter sprits on it. I wasn't too happy to know that Yuki-onna was speeding winter. She _Kills_ people!

It was also flu season. So teachers and students were in and out of the Hospital Wing to get a Pepperup Potion. I had to get Eve to go after she caught a cold with the training she and the Quidditch team where doing in the bullet-like rain. Eve was so upset, she kept saying how she wished she could use the full speed of her broom. Fred and George had been spying on the Slytherin team and said that the team was nothing but seven green blurs.

"A deathday party?" Hermione asked as Harry and Eve joined us in the common room after changing out of their robes.

Harry had finished telling us that he had agreed that he could come to Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday Party. I held back a shudder. Eve and I never celebrated our deathdays. We would, if Eve's wasn't so traumatic for her. Mine wasn't much better, but still.

"I bet there aren't many living people who can say they've been to one of those—it'll be fascinating!" Hermione said keenly.

"Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?" Ron said half way done with his potions homework. "Sounds dead depressing to me…"

Then Halloween came way too soon, and I could tell that Harry was regretting the promise he had made. I wasn't happy ether, after hearing how cool the Feast was, I really wanted to go.

"A promise is promise," Hermione reminded Harry. "You _said_ you'd go to the deathday party."

I threw my head back. "Yeah he said _he_ would go, not _we_ would go." I yelped as Eve's hand hit me on the back of my head. I glared at her and I wasn't sure if it was part of the act or if it was real.

So at seven o'clock, we walked right passed the Great Hall and to the dungeons. The passageway was not cheery. The only good thing it had going for it was the blue fame candles that lined the way, but the wax part was tall thin and jet black.

As we descended farther down, I saw that Harry, Ron, and Hermione shivered and I knew that it wasn't me. I looked at Eve to see her grab her ears cringing at something that I couldn't hear. But then I did and winced. It sounded like nails on a chuck board.

 **Hermione's Pov**

"Is that supposed to be _music_?" Ron whispered with a shiver.

To be fair we were all shivering. I had pulled my robe around me tightly. We turned a corner and saw Nick standing, well actually he was hovering, by a doorway with black velvet drapes.

"My dear friends," Nick said mournfully. "Welcome, welcome…so pleased you could come…"

He took off his plumed hat, put it to his chest and bowed. The drape moved out of our way and I was amazed. The room was filled with pearly white ghosts. Some were talking, but most where waltzing to the dreadful music that the ghostly orchestra was playing on a raised platform. I looked up to see a chandelier with a thousand black, blue flamed candles.

As I breathed out I saw my breath, like a cold winter's day. I turned too look at the others, and something puzzled me. I could see Harry and Ron's breath like mine, but not Jack or Eve's. I could see that they were breathing but their breath didn't fog. That was really odd. I was just about to ask them when Harry spoke up and made me jump.

"Shall we have a look around?" Harry suggested, as he shuffled his feet, I assume trying to worm them.

"Careful not to walk through anyone." Ron said nervously.

"Wouldn't dream of it." I heard Jack mutter, as we set off around the edge of the dance floor.

As we walked we saw a group of gloomy nuns, a ragged man wearing chains, and the Fat Friar, the cheerful Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight with an arrow in his forehead. I saw the Bloody Barren, the ghost of Slytherin house, was getting a wide berth. My eyes then landed on the ghost girl we were headed to. Her long hair and pearly spectacles proved who it was.

I stopped abruptly. "Oh no." I turned slightly to try and push them back. "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle—"

"Who?" Harry asked as we backtracked quickly.

"She has a strange love for haunting one of the toilets in the girls' bathroom on the first floor," Eve said clearly not wanting to talk to her ether.

"She haunts a _toilet_?" The boys asked shocked.

I nodded. "Yes. It's been out-of-order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it's awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you—"

"Look, food!" Ron said.

For a moment we ran to the table hoping to get something to eat, but then we stopped. The food was not meant for people to eat. Large rotten fish were laid out on beautiful silver platters; cakes, burned to charcoal black, were heaped on salvers; there was a great maggoty haggis, a slab of moldy cheese, and what had a place of pride was a gray cake in the shape of a tombstone, with teal-like icing forming the words,

 **Sir Nicholas De Mimsy-Porpington**

 **Died 31st October, 1492**

"You know, I'm not that hungry anymore…" Eve trailed off.

I held my nose as a ghost came to the table, crouched low and walked through it with his mouth wide open, to get the stinking salmon in his mouth. I cringed a bit when the fish came out the back of his head.

"Can you taste it if you walk through it?" Harry asked him.

"Almost." The ghost said sadly, then drifted away.

I pinched my nose and looked at the others. "I expect they've let it rot to give it a stronger flavor." I said and looked at the haggis.

"Can we move? I feel sick." Ron said and he looked a little green.

We had barely turned around, when a small ghost flew out from under the table. I shook my head at Peeves the Poltergeist.

"Hello, Peeves." Harry said cautiously.

"Nibbles?" Peeves asked holding a bowl of fungus covered peanuts.

"No thanks." I said as Eve held up a hand and shook her head.

"Heard you talking about poor Myrtle," Peeves said at me and Eve. "Rude you was about poor Myrtle." He took a deep breath, even though he didn't need to, and bellowed. "OY! MYRTLE!"

My eyes widened. "Oh, no, Peeves, don't tell her what Eve and I said, she'll be really upset," I whispered quickly.

"We didn't mean it, She's totally cool—Oh, hi there, Myrtle." Eve said making me turn.

There she was. Her gloomy face was heart breaking how sad it was. Her dark hair was long and thick. She wore a Ravenclaw uniform.

"What?" She asked sulkily.

"How are you, Myrtle?" I asked I tried to sound nice. "It's nice to see you out of the toilet."

Myrtle sniffed.

"Miss Granger and _'Falls'_ was just talking about you—" Peeves said slyly in Myrtle's ear.

"Just saying—saying—how nice you look tonight," I said glaring at Peeves trying hard to make him to shut up or go away.

Myrtle eyed me and Eve. "You're making fun of me." She said miserably as silvery tears formed in her eyes.

"What?" Eve asked throwing her hand on to her chest. "No, you are very beautiful, the nicest looking Ghost here."

I nodded. "Honestly—didn't we just say how nice Myrtle's looking?" I asked and nudged Harry and Ron in the ribs.

"Yeah, your glasses are so shiny—" Jack said nervously.

"Oh Yeah—" Ron said anxiously.

"They did—" Harry said franticly.

"Don't lie to me." Myrtle gasped as her tears flowed down her cheeks. "D'you think I don't know what people call me behind my back?" She asked on the verge of sobbing. "Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, Moaning, Moping Myrtle!"

"You've forgotten pimply." Peeves hissed in her ear.

Myrtle burst into wailing tearful sobs and fled from the dungeon. Peeves was following her, pelting her with moldy peanuts, yelling " _Pimply! Pimply!_ "

"Oh dear." I said biting my lip.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Nick asked getting our attention.

"Oh, yes." We all lied.

"Not a bad turnout," Nick said proudly. "The Wailing Widow came all the way up from Kent…it's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go and warn the orchestra…"

But then the orchestra stopped playing and it seemed everyone was quite with excitement. A Hunting horn sounded.

"Oh, here we go." Nick said bitterly.

Suddenly a dozen ghost Horses burst through the walls of the dungeon and each was ridden by a Headless horseman. All the ghosts began to clap. Harry was about to, but stopped at Nicks face. The Horses halted in the middle of the dance floor. The leader leaped off his horse and held his chopped off head high in the air, so he could see over the crowed.

Then he walked over to Nick and, with a sickening squishing sound, put his head back on his neck. "Nick!" Roared the Ghost before us. "How are you? Head still hanging in there?" he said as he clapped Nick on the shoulder.

"Welcome, Patrick." Nick said stiffly.

"Live'uns!" Patrick said looking at us, and a hug fake jump, and his head fell from his shoulders. The ghosts all laughed, exempt Nick.

"Very amusing." Nick said darkly.

"Don't mind Nick!" Shouted Patrick's head from the floor. "Still upset we won't let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say—look at the fellow—"

"I think," Harry began hurriedly. "Nick's very—frightening and—er."

"Ha!" Yelled Patrick's head. "Bet he asked you to say that!"

 **Eve's Pov**

"If I could have everyone's attention, it's time for my speech!" Nick said loudly, making me jump. He flouted over to the podium and into the icy blue spotlight. "My late lamented lords, ladies, and gentlemen, it is my great sorrow…"

But I couldn't hear much more, and I was positive that no one else could ether, what with the Hunt suddenly decided to play Head-Hockey.

I could see the others were very cold, I could see their breath and they were shivering violently. I could only hope that they didn't notice that neither Jack nor myself where not producing the same puffs of air as they were and we were not shivering. I wrapped my arms around my chest and tried to look like I was cold. I tried to give Jack a hint by looking at my arms and then back to him. He just smiled and winked at me.

"I can't stand much more of this." Ron said through his chattering teeth.

I looked away from the ghosts as they moved back to the dance floor as the 'Music' started up again.

"Let's go." Harry agreed.

We worked our way back to the door, nodding and smiling at any Ghost that looked our way. A minute later we hurrying up the stairs past the black candles.

"Pudding might not be finished yet." Ron said as he led the way toward the steps of the entrance hall.

That's when I heard it. A strange, loud hissing sound. It was cold and if hissing could sound murderous, then that is how it was. I then saw Harry stumble to a stop and looked around. He clutched at the stone wall as if trying to listen to something.

 _'No…He couldn't possibly hear what I do. He's mortal.'_ Flew through my mind.

"Harry, what're you—?"

"It's that voice again—shut up a minute—" Harry said interrupting Ron.

The hissing started again and it made me flinch. It seemed familiar, but not at the same time.

"Listen!" Harry said urgently, making us all freeze.

The hissing was getting fainter and seemed to be moving up. Panic griped me. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"This way!" Harry shouted and he ran up the stairs to the entrance hall, me right behind him.

I winced when the sounds coming from the Great Hall hit me and I nearly fell, but grabbed the wall and kept going.

We turned up a marble stair case to the first floor. I could hear Jack, Ron, and Hermione clattering behind us.

"Harry, what're we—"

"SHH!" Harry said making me flinch.

I listened and then something else hit me. The scent of blood. My eyes widened. "Oh, Goddess…" I whispered quietly.

The Hissing was suddenly loud yet far.

"It's going to kill someone!" Harry shouted and ignored Ron, Jack, and Hermione's bewildered faces. He run up the next flight, I was right behind him.

I didn't need to follow the hissing, I could smell the blood and it was getting stronger the higher we went. We soon were barreling down the second floor hallway and didn't stop until we came to a deserted hallway.

The smell of the blood was stronger now and I closed my eyes in relief. It wasn't human blood.

"Harry, what was that all about?" Ron said wiping sweat from his face. "I couldn't hear anything…"

I turned my head at the same time as Hermione gasped. "Look!"

My eyes widened at the blood on the wall between to windows. It shimmered in the torch-light.

 **THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.**

 **ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE.**

"What's that thing—hanging underneath?" Ron asked a slight quiver in his voice.

We walked forward and Harry nearly slipped on the water that was on the floor. I gasped and my hand flew to my mouth. It was a cat hanging from her tail on the torch bracket. She was not moving at all eyes wide and staring at nothing. I could see that her eyes looked glassy. I turned away to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione had jumped back. Jack saw too.

"Do you guys know this cat?" Jack asked.

"That's Mrs. Norris. That's Filch's cat." Hermione said shakily.

I turned back to her and knew that something was off. She seemed alive, but frozen in time.

"Let's get out of here." Ron said.

"Shouldn't try and help—" Harry began awkwardly.

"Trust me," Ron said. "We don't want to be found here.

I spun as the rumble of feet filled my ears. "Too late."

Then from ether end of the passage happy fed students came. The chatter died as they came to a halt seeing the message and Norris.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next Mudbloods!" I turned to see Malfoy and fire burned in my chest. I really hate that kid.


	11. Author's Note 1

I'm sorry but fall quarter is starting up so this will be slow. Thank you for your patience.


	12. Author's Note 2

Hello, everyone. I'm really sorry that this hasn't been updated in a while, but there are reasons.

One of them is that I don't feel that it really works. What I mean by that is I screwed up my writing style. I always get the story or fanfic done before I post it so I don't feel rushed or a huge weight on my shoulders. That and that time lines don't fit at all. If RotG happened in the 2000's than that would mean Harry and them have graduated (Well sort of, Harry, Ron, and Hermine didn't finish their last year with the whole war.) and gone on with their lives. Since Harry's years at Hogwarts take place during the 1990's it would mean Jack hadn't been chosen as Guardian yet.

The second reason is I've lost interest in this fanfic. I haven't lost interest in RotG or HP, but just this fanfic. I might have a different or better one in the future, I'm not sure at this time. But for now this is as far as I got.

The third reason is other fanfics and stories in my mind are taking over and pushing this one to the back burner. There are a lot that I want to work on and get done.

The fourth reason is my life has gotten a bit hectic. School is awesome but very stressful. And it's will get even more so after this break and the winter quarter. Lots of math. Evil math. But around that time it'll be harder for me to get things up and going.

So for now this is not only on hold, but might not ever continue. Again I'm really sorry, and to all of you who have been following me and this fanfic, a very big thank you and big huge Apologies.


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